For their winter show, the Fine Arts Department presents the musical, “In the Heights” on Feb. 5-7, at 7 p.m. at the school’s PAC.

Director Melissa Danforth chose the production after it won a Tony Award.

“These college kids put together this unbelievable show, and I had not seen anything with that much excitement since ‘RENT,’ which was different,” Danforth said. “This (In The Heights) was our culture, and it was just awesome.”

The cast and crew put in eight hours of work and practice a week at rehearsals.

“(They) are light and fun, but we take it very seriously at the same time,” senior Lasean Galloway said. “You have to have a good time while doing the play because if it’s all business, it’s not going to be fun.”

Even with the long practices, senior Jasmyn Piepgrass said she loves her cast mates.

“The cast is amazing, and I enjoy every little bit of time I get to spend with them,” Piepgrass said. “It’s funny how we can go through hours (of) rehearsals and still want to be with each other the next day.”

Galloway said the musical is very relatable to the audience.

“There are sad, happy (and) funny moments,” he said. “Everyone will really enjoy it.”

The overall theme of the musical is about “finding home,” Danforth said.

“People find love and purpose, so these characters on this journey are basically finding home,” Danforth said. “It’s gritty and real, but still a boy meets girl story where you are hoping for the romance to work out.”

The bonds created between cast mates are visible as their characters interact, Galloway said.

“The emotions that you’ll see on stage aren’t acting,” said Galloway. “They’re actual feelings.”

Out of the entire musical, Piepgrass said the “Blackout” scene is her favorite.

“We get to interact with the audience, and everyone gets really into it because it’s a neat number,” she said.

Danforth said she would like a packed house.

“I want the audience to have so much fun that they want to go to every theater production they can find for the rest of their lives,” she said.

As the musical’s opening night approaches, Piepgrass said she is proud of the cast and crew’s accomplishments.

“Being a part of this musical has truly been a blessing in my life,” Piepgrass said. “Even with a group of high school students who have completely different backgrounds, different experiences and different ways of life, we can still come together and create a sense of community that is expressible and can really touch somebody’s life.”