As “Hadestown: Teen Edition” ended, the cast came out to take their bows hailed by a chorus of raucous cheers. The room was quaking with a foot-stomping, hat-waving standing ovation, pervaded by an energy electric enough to make your hair stand on end. And then, the lights went out, the cast changed positions, the lights came back on and they began to sing again. As these young stars bravely belted out “We Raise Our Cups,” a series of uncontrollable sobs issued from behind me. That’s when I realized that Milo Anima’s parents were seated there and as I looked into the eyes of actors on stage keeping their composure, I began to understand how much this production meant to the community of Scotts Valley.

Milo, a beloved member of the Scotts Valley High theater community, tragically lost their life almost one year ago. It was Milo’s dream to play Orpheus in this very production, and their spirit lives on through the amazing performances of the cast. Grieving is a complicated and personal process, but this courageous group of teenagers led by the admirable direction of Kendra Kannegaard, managed to create a public occasion for catharsis. The release of sadness became a celebration of life with the special alchemy that only theater provides.

Matching the emotional magnitude of this theatrical tribute to Milo, the production was grand on many scales. With a rotating stage and a cast of 35 actors, the show was magnificent from the dancing and the music to the lighting and costumes. “Hadestown: Teen Edition” was a truly impressive production.

One of the most inspiring aspects of this musical was the number of alumni involved in its production. Ian McHatton, alum of Scotts Valley High, choreographed the show’s wonderful dance compositions proving that at 20 years old, he has the talent and energy to make powerful art. Reflecting on the process, McHatton said it took “lots of time, lots of effort, lots of sitting with it and changing things, hating things and loving things.” Devoting time and energy to the choreography was key, and McHatton credited this cast that “put so much time into this and really cared about it.” He said that when you have a cast willing to “stay an extra five or 10 minutes after rehearsal, to look you in the eye and thank you after rehearsals,” it makes the final result that much cleaner.

For a musical with a rotating stage and an elevator, the role of production manager and technical director carries a special weight. Cooper Herendeen, also an alum, rose to the occasion. Herendeen believes that theater is one of the “most basic ways to see someone enjoy something you create,” so he embraced the challenge of these technical stage elements. Explaining how Kannegaard managed to create such grand productions, Herendeen stated that “her mentality is that every show is going to be seen by thousands of people,” therefore she refuses to accept shortcuts or half measures. This gives kids the chance to be in something they can feel proud of even long after they have graduated.The promotional and performance photos were also created by an alum, Trinity Rose, who graduated in 2019. Speaking of Kannegaard, she said, “Knowing Kendra, you’re locked in for life.” Although she moved out of town, Rose returned to do the photography for the show, a testament to the gravity of this theater program.

Lea Reed is not a former student but has known Kannegaard for a long time and has been working with Scotts Valley High on plays for the past eight years. Regarding this musical, Reed said this is “vocally the hardest show we’ve ever done. The harmony is insane. There’s so much harmony and synchronization that has to happen.” Ultimately, she credits the kids who are “so talented and practice even when they are not rehearsing. They practice on weekends.” This was evident in the deeply moving singing for a number of very challenging songs.

Kannegaard credits “the most incredible kids who are empathetic, kind and hard working” with the success of this theater community. “Theater for me,” she continued, “saved my life. I think that it’s a space for these kids who bring so much heart and passion to it.” Explaining how it is that alumni continue to contribute to the productions, she stated, “Theater is something so different because it is all about opening yourself up, being vulnerable and trusting other people. The bonds that we build together are too strong to end when they are done with high school.”

In discussing the emotional intensity of the show, Kannegaard explained, “’Hadestown’ has been a department favorite for years. When it came out, I took them to see it in San Francisco and we’ve been obsessed with it ever since. One of my students Milo, this was his favorite show of all time, and we talked about it all the time. He passed away unexpectedly last year. When the rights were released, he had run into my room exclaiming that we had to do this show and we got the rights the day after he passed away. The reason that song ‘We Raise Our Cups’ is so important is because it was what we chose to sing for his celebration of life. So, we sing that song not to Orpheus but to Milo.”

Do not miss this extraordinary musical featuring the remarkable talents of a cast and the superb direction and production of the Scotts Valley High School Drama Department.

“Hadestown” runs through May 3 at the Scotts Valley High Student Union, 555 Glenwood Drive, Scotts Valley. Tickets are $18 for students and $20 for general admission. Most performances begin at 7 p.m. For tickets, times and additional information, go to Cur8.com and start typing “Scotts Valley” into the search field after clicking the “Buy Tickets” link.