BUCKLAND — Mohawk Trail Regional School is back for its second year producing a musical after not having an active theater program since before the pandemic struck.

The school will present “Guys and Dolls Jr.” in the auditorium on Friday, May 5, and Saturday, May 6, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets, which cost $12 for adults and $10 for seniors, students and staff members, are available at the door or by emailing stagemanager@mtrsd.org.

“It is just a fun, uplifting and entertaining show,” said Eva Husson-Stockhamer, Mohawk Trail’s director of performing arts.

The musical follows two plotlines: notorious gambler Sky Masterson attempts to woo good-girl Sarah Brown, and Miss Adelaide hopes to get her boyfriend Nathan Detroit to marry her. It is also filled with classic music that the audience will recognize and love, according to Husson-Stockhamer and Musical Director Todd Rovelli.

“Quintessentially American in spirit, ‘Guys and Dolls’ remains a timeless tale that owes it longevity not only to its multitude of memorable characters and hummable tunes, but also to its enduring themes of ambition, savvy and self-made luck,” Husson-Stockhamer wrote in an event announcement.

“The cast sounds really good,” Rovelli said of the young singers. “You can tell they are enjoying the songs because they leave the rehearsal humming the tunes.”

This year, the theater program invited fifth and sixth graders in the district to perform in the musical, too, expanding the cast beyond the walls of Mohawk Trail Regional School. There are 32 students involved in the production, with three seniors singing center stage.

The addition of younger students not only makes the cast larger but also attracts more audience members to watch the show.

“All of us are going to do very awesome. We take this seriously,” said Carolynn Aubrey, a senior who plays Sarah Brown in “Guys and Dolls Jr.” She said she is most excited about her opportunity to sing in front of an audience. “We put hard work into this.”

The school’s revived theater program is still in its infancy, having only three productions under its belt. Husson-Stockhamer explained even though the theater program is new, those involved do not make compromises when it comes to the productions as they’re attempting to revive the program “in full force.”

The staff working on the production said they are proud of the students, mentioning how they’ve watched friendships growing backstage throughout the rehearsals.

“Friendships help on stage an awful lot,” Husson-Stockhamer said.

Bella Levavi can be reached at 413-930-4579 or blevavi@recorder.com.

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