This past weekend, the Spotlight Players put on their last show of the year, “The Wizard of Oz.” Being the last one, it was bittersweet for many people, especially the seniors, since this was the last show of their high school career.

One senior who is sad to see their high school theatre career end is senior Jacob Slone. “The Wizard of Oz” was Slone’s first and last show with the Spotlight Players, and he is glad that he got to spend one show with that group.

“I really loved it,” Slone said. “There were a few rough points in the show, but overall I think it went really well and went over really well with the crowd.”

As for his character, Slone felt a close connection with playing the scarecrow, and he appreciated the scarecrow’s point of view.

“I really loved playing him because he’s such a happy, loving, kinda really stupid [character],” Slone said. “He thinks things are amazing, but they’re just mediocre to us, so it’s just a fun way of thinking about life.”

Slone enjoyed having this group to be a part of for the last couple months where felt like he fit in and belonged.

“It was kind of like having an extra family. They’re mean to you at times, but you know that they care about you so much and that they love you,” Slone said. “It was also really stressful because you are being pushed to remember all these things and go out in front of a giant crowd of people and say all these lines you’re trying to memorize.”

With this being Slone’s only chance to ever be a part of the Spotlight Player family, he regrets not having been in a show earlier in his high school career.

“I wish I had joined sooner but at least I joined,” Slone said. “I loved being in it so much that I want to be able to be in eight more shows, but I could only be in one.”

“The Wizard of Oz” was also the first show for sophomore Jennifer Ferry and she also had a good experience.

“I actually had a really good time because Glinda is a really fun role to play,” Ferry said. “She’s got the big dress and when we met all the little kids, they were all super excited.”

According to Ferry, the feeling of the Spotlight Players being like a family really made being in the show worthwhile.

“You spend a lot of time with people, the same people everyday, so you meet a lot of new people. It’s cool that everyone has their own little niche,” Ferry said. “The people who are good at building things are on set and the artistic people are on paint crew and the sewers are on costumes and the singers are on the acting crew. You meet your own little group of people.”

Senior Emily Turner is sad to be leaving this family after all the years and shows she has spent with it, but she is satisfied with how this last show turned out.

“Doing The Wizard of Oz, everyone knows it, so everyone knows if you mess up. They have very strong opinions about it,” Turner said. “I think some people liked it and some people didn’t and that’s okay.”

Theatre with the Spotlight Players has been rewarding for Turner because of all the different types of roles and opportunities she has been given.

“Throughout the theatre here, it’s just been a rollercoaster almost for me because I’ve gotten the lead and then I got a minor role and then I got another lead and then another minor role,” Turner said. “Every role is different and I think this last show was really cool for me because my first show ever was The Wizard of Oz, so it was very cool to start and end my grade school career with the Wizard of Oz.”