Even though it has been less than a month since he gave his final bow for the CCHS drama production of “The Secret Garden,” Cathedral Catholic High School student-actor Henry Pedersen ’17 has been busy memorizing dance numbers and new lines for the last two weeks for the upcoming performance of “Anything Goes.”

“It’s all hands on deck right now,” Pedersen said. “We have been rehearsing every day after school since ‘The Secret Garden’ ended, while we have the drama-tech crew in another room preparing the sets for the new play.”

A 1934 original musical by Cole Porter, “Anything Goes” follows the travels of Reno Sweeney from New York England as she mediates a love triangle involving her stowaway best friend Billy Crocker and his love Hope Harcourt, who is engaged to Lord Evelyn Oakleigh.

The short amount of preparation time for the next production changes the usual rehearsal norms for drama students.

“We usually have rehearsal only three times a week for a few hours a day,” CCHS student-actress Emily Smedley ’18 said. “Since we’ve decided to have three performances this year, we have a shorter amount of time to prepare.

“So, we now have to meet six times a weeks with more hours than usual.”

With only a month to prepare, the drama team learns to direct all its energy toward the show.

“Beyond our seasoned actors, we have new students that have joined our drama team for this light-hearted and exciting show, and they really help bring positive energy during rehearsal,” CCHS Drama Director Ms. Katie Wilson said.

Even with the students’ time consuming commitments to drama, they still must find a way to manage other responsibilities.

“The show really helps students gain time-management skills,” Smedley said. “Drama has given me a good perspective on how to prioritize all my responsibilities.”

Even with the dedicated attention of the actors, a lot of work gets delegated to the drama-tech crew, which is responsible for everything that ties all the loose ends of the show together.

“This turnaround is an obstacle for everyone to work through for this production,” CCHS student and drama-tech manager Ethan Zeledon ’17 said. “The pressure is not only on the actors themselves, but on the drama-tech crew as well.”

Quickly approaching on the horizon, “Anything Goes” will run from March 17-19, including two performances on Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. and two matinees on Saturday and Sunday at 1 p.m.

“I am so excited for everyone to see the show,” Ms. Wilson said. “It’s bitter-sweet that this is our last show of the school-year, but I can’t wait for everyone to recognize the hard work our entire drama team has accomplished over the course of the year.”