By: Grace Bailes (12)

Helias Catholic High School embraced its spring musical production of Freaky Friday, the story of an overworked mother and teenage daughter who swap bodies for a day, learning empathy and understanding of each other, fixing their strained relationship. With comedic breaks, love, energy, fun songs, jump roping, and even some twinkies, the cast of Freaky Friday brought true talent onto the Miller Performing Arts Center stage.

However, as the curtain closed after final bows of the final performance of Freaky Friday, Helias closed its chapter of performing at Miller. As a part of Helias Catholic’s Spirit of Excellence campaign, they are expanding the Helias campus to include a performing arts center. The center will accommodate music, art, and dance activities all throughout the Helias committee. The performing arts center is set to be completed in 2026, allowing the 2027 spring musical to be the first ever to take place on the new stage.

Sophomore, Norah Wolters, played the role of Katherine, the mother, in Freaky Friday.

  She said, “I’m looking forward to our own space and being able to practice on the stage immediately.”

Helias students involved in theatre will soon have the chance to hold rehearsals on the stage to gain more impactful practice on the stage they are to perform.

Wolters said, “[With this], it’s less of a transition as we get to tech week, and I think we’re just going to be able to make it more of our own.”

The musical stands as a time for close bonding between cast members and allows people to use their God-given talents on stage.

Wolters said, “I love the community that we made as a cast and as a crew and the friendships that we all developed.”

Helias Catholic has been performing on the Miller stage for quite some time, but the school community is ready to expand its arts programs through its new 1,000 seat auditorium. While ending with a successful run of Freaky Friday, hopefully Helias Catholic can hold onto good memories of Miller Performing Arts and embrace the greatness that can come from a performing arts center of their own.