The West Henderson High School theater program has become a popular escape for students from the everyday rigors of core classes. High student enrollment and sellout performances have helped to define Kelly Cooper’s program. However, her momentum has taken a hit due to a partially broken light board.

According to junior Jeffrey Cooper, son of adviser Kelly, the theater has had the same light board controlling all the productions in the class for years that has just barely been able to keep up with all the use expected in the theater classes. After the recent power surge that came through the school, a few of the lights on the board have stopped working completely. These lights in particular are needed for all the special lighting, and are very hard and expensive to fix, facing the school with an issue.

Ever since the lighting has been damaged, theater students have seen a difference in their classes.

“We are trying to work around it, but it’s really hard to,” Jeffrey said. “We all wish the school system would fund the theater program for new lights so we can make bigger and better musicals and plays.”

Kelly said she believes that more funding to upgrade the lighting system would not only fix the issue at hand, but also allow the program’s performance qualities to rise so that they may continue to make a name for themselves and create more entertainment for the students of West Henderson.

By: Kinsley Morgan, A&E Editor