The room at Easthaven Bapist Church was chaos, with dozens of dancers’ limbs flying and twirling through the air, close to smashing into each other were it not for carefully followed choreography.
In the center of it all, two young men linked arms and drank fake booze out of steins, celebrating the upcoming marriage of a daughter.
It’s a scene of fun and frivolity that would be familiar to fans of musicals everywhere: as they dance, the performers also sing the classic lines of the song “To Life! (L’Chaim!),” from “Fiddler on the Roof.”
It’s the most exciting time of year for the Homeschool Theater Club, an educational group that helps introduce the valley’s homeschool students not only to the fine arts, but also to each other.
“The purpose up front was to give exposure to the homeschool students with theater, and it has accomplished that,” Dean Landis, who sits on the club’s board, said during a rehearsal last week.
Four of Landis’ five children take part in the club, which puts on one major production each year. This year’s selection of “The Fiddler” – an adaption from “Fiddler on the Roof” – marks the 11th show for the group. Performances take place May 6 and 7 at the Whitefish Performing Arts Center.
The club averages anywhere from 50 to 70 kids each season, Landis said. This year’s production includes 60 performers, and last year’s included 72.
Originally, the club held its plays on a church stage, which worked for the first six years or so. But it had grown each year, and finally, five years ago, the club was too large for the church and needed more space and professional equipment.
Since shifting their play performances to the Whitefish Performing Arts Center, the shows have been all but sold out.
The adults involved with the club said it is gratifying to watch the students blossom as they improve, and it’s also a good place to earn credits through writing the production script, auditions, fundraising, and the actual performance.
But one of the other purposes of the club is to get kids who might not meet up otherwise together. Landis said it’s important for many of them to be part of something big, to work as a team, and to develop small-group skills.
“The bigger picture is helping these kids grow and mature as individuals,” Landis said.
It’s not only the adults who appreciate this aspect of the club.
“The play is, like, the second biggest thing we do all year,” said 18-year-old Paul Artyomenko, who has been part of the club for four or five seasons. “This is one of the best ways to socialize.”
The performers were scheduled to practice for four hours that day, and while some worked on scenes in the church’s theater, others worked out their energy running around the adjoining gym.
Thirteen-year-old Job Myers has been part of the group for four years now, and he appreciates being able to be on stage and perform. It’s fun to be on stage in front of lots of people now, he said, but it wasn’t always that way.
When he first joined, he was nervous that perhaps this wouldn’t be for him, or he might not be good enough. But the group was immediately welcoming and he relaxed.
“Once I did it, I had so much fun. You’ll meet people, then once you do it, it’s a nice feeling, like you accomplished something,” Myers said.
Emily Baker, a 19-year-old actor who plays oldest daughter Tzeitel, said she wanted to join the club after watching its performance of “Les Miserables,” because it was done so professionally.
“I feel like I was very prepared as an actress with this group,” Baker said.
All of the students had the same advice for homeschoolers who might want to join but are nervous, which Artyomenko summed up: “Be yourself and express yourself. Be who you are.”
“The Fiddler” performances are donation-admittance only, and take place on May 6 at 7 p.m., and May 7 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.