On Saturday, February 6th, the drama department of Mountain View High School held an incredible production called “The Escape Room”. Even with all the setbacks and challenges of COVID-19, it was very successful and fun for the cast members and audience. Every single time slot was full of Mountain View students and family showing their support for the members of the department. It was undoubtedly a fundraiser unlike any before it, but it is surely one to be proud of!

The members of the drama program had their work cut out for them with this fundraiser, and in the end they saw it pay off. The director of the program was on maternity leave for the duration of the program, which in and of itself brought on challenges. Kylee Kyte, a senior member of the department, stated in regards to the recent fundraiser, “The entire production was student written, student designed, and student directed. It was a ton of work, from writing the script and casting the actors to finding props and set pieces with zero budget. Everything in the escape room was either made by hand or found in the Drama department’s costume and prop storage.” It is no doubt that this fundraiser, The Escape Room, was lots of work. However it was very successful! This single fundraiser raised a total of almost $1000. MVHS Drama has and continues to accomplish great things amidst trying circumstances.

The current pandemic has affected all of our lives, in many aspects. For the drama program it has undoubtedly been a challenging year, from canceled performances to required face coverings and everything in between. But, the department has found a way to bring positivity and even humor into this harder school year. Kyte said, “Anyone who went to the escape room probably noticed that we put mustaches and makeup on the actor’s masks for the performance, which ended up being a really fun way to give the costumes a little extra something that we thought we had lost by needing to wear masks.” In a time full of unique challenges and setbacks, the MVHS drama department is using creativity to spark fun ways to follow all the guidelines due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The drama department is a very special and loved part of Mountain View High School. The members of this program give tremendously to building the welcoming culture of the high school. Kyte said “Everyone is so welcoming and accepting! We work super hard to make sure everyone feels like the second family in the drama department.” That is what so many of these amazing students exemplify here at Mountain View. As students and friends during these trying times, whether a part of the drama department or not, we can strive to be a little more positive with the given setbacks and to be welcoming and accepting of all.