Sheyna George’s job is crucial to the success of the Powell High School Drama Club’s upcoming production, and she knows it, staying busy during a recent rehearsal performance. 

First she’s attaching a microphone around a performer’s waist, then ordering another to not touch the mics. George knows music — she’s one of the top high school singers — and when it comes to drama club this season, the sound system is her domain. 

“It’s my way or the highway,” she said — for the sound systems, at least. 

“It’s the organization,” she said. “We have to get it all done and have, I guess, not the power, but being able to have something done my way … I like to be in control.”

George, a senior, is one of the stage managers for the spring musical, an Alice in Wonderland adaptation set in a London bomb shelter during the Blitz in World War II. 

Drama coach Kristen Cuddy described it as a PG-13 musical due to themes such as war, death, violence and terminal illness. 

“Alice by Heart” is being performed at 6 p.m. May 8-9 at the PHS Auditorium. Cost is $10 for general admission, $8 for students. 

Junior Austin Sears, who plays Harold Pudding and the Mad Hatter, is thrilled to have a big part in the musical, which is right up his alley.

“Musical theater is one of my favorite things to do, since I’m a big music guy,” he said. “So this one is like my cup of tea.”

It’s a musical, but also explores tough issues. Sears said his character deals with the need to let go, and he’s put together a deep character to describe his actions throughout a performance that begins in a bomb shelter with a character telling someone who is dying the story of Alice in Wonderland, which then bleeds into the drama of the present day. 

In the end, a major theme is on getting over trauma, as Sears’ character struggles with. 

“He hasn’t moved on from trauma,” Sears said. “But that’s kind of like the ending message of the show, and that’s kind of how the main character develops, and that’s how the plot progresses.”

For freshman Zaphira Paul, playing the Mock Turtle and other roles, the musical is simply the perfect combination of some of her favorite things. 

“I love acting, and singing is one of the main things in my life,” she said. “I’ve been singing since I was little, like, really little. My mom put me on the mic right away at 7, so I don’t know just it has always been my thing. And I love seeing new people, getting into great relationships in theater, it’s really fun.”

Of course, Sears and Paul and the other performers wouldn’t be nearly so effective if the sound system wasn’t on point. That task keeps George busy. 

“It is kind of scary, because I have to create all the cues and stuff and unmute people that need to be unmuted and stuff like that,” she said. “And if we get feedback, I have to go in and do that, fix it. And all the equipment is really expensive, so it’s really scary.”

That challenge only makes this performance all the more rewarding. 

“I really like it with how much choreography and ensemble heavy and all the harmonies,” she said. “It’s just all super cool, and it’s coming together so well, and I’m really excited.”

Cast List:

Alice: Elaina Kousoulos

Alfred/White Rabbit/March Hare: Justin Dusenberry

Red Cross Nurse/Queen of Hearts: Anika Anderson

Harold Pudding/Mad Hatter: Austin Sears

Tabatha/Cheshire Cat: Estrella Gonzales

Dodgy/Duchess: Levi Hawley

Clarissa/Queen of Diamonds/Mock Mock Mock Turtle: : : Norah Startin

Nigel/Dormouse: Joseph Bott

Angus/Caterpillar: Geo Dilworth

Dr. Butridge/King of Hearts/Jabberwock: Curtis Muecke

Young Alice: Hayden Tietema

Young Alfred: Maverick Nicholson

Alice’s mother: Vivian Dodd

Margaret/Caterpillar 2: Kyra Morrow

Knave of Spades: Kaylee Harris

Knave of Hearts: Brooklynn McConnell

Knave of Clubs/Mock Mock Turtle: Lucy Dees

Mock Turtle: Zaphira Paul

Mock Mock Mock Mock Turtle: Natalie Warner

Ensemble: Kaprina Haney, Alex Turner, Paige McConnell, Lydia Waite, Ruth Bucher, Reina Hansen, Riku Cook, Ian Gibson, Moe Blevins, Cassidi VanLake, Peyton Sullivan, Lilly Owen, Vivian Dodd

Tech Crew:

Lights: Maysyn Schuler

Spotlight: Ellora Blevins, Chloe Camp

Props Manager: Elizabeth (Blitz) Halberstadt

Stage Managers: Sheyna George, Deeanna Gibson