On Jan. 26 and 27, Lexington High School hosted Winterfest, a collection of theater-based, student-led performances. 

“Winterfest is a unique opportunity for students to present their own original work as playwrights, directors, designers, composers, and performers,” Carly Kalivas, Winterfest’s event coordinator, said.

A group of students, called the Emerson fest, worked on the main piece, Greenal and Graynel twice a week.

“My play was about a girl named Luce who was inside of a cardboard box… I was inspired to write this play after reading a play that had no dialogue but only stage directions,” Sophia Pjura, an actor and director at Winterfest, said. 

However, the process presented challenges for both the actors and directors. The cast had little time to memorize their lines. Meanwhile, the directors had to market the event and  organize rehearsal sessions, a task that proved complicated when delegating rehearsal slots to multiple acts. 

“This year, one of our student writers and directors, Calvin Jones, created a new system for student written pieces to sign up for rehearsal slots to guarantee a fair amount of time in the space for each of our six groups,” Kalivas said. 

Ultimately, Winterfest 2024 was a resounding success. With the contributions of the LHS drama company and the hard work of the student-performers, the show sold out all its tickets. For teachers like Kalivas, seeing each student create their own stories and showcase them to a live audience was touching. 

“When I watch these student performances I am overwhelmed with pride and joy. The vulnerability, resilience, and determination it takes [is unmatched]. I always leave Winterfest with my heart full to bursting for what these students have accomplished,” Kalivas said.