The Kamehameha Schools Maui Drama Club will open the first and only high school play for the school year, Our Time, on Friday, Feb. 24, 2012, in Keōpūolani Hale at 7:30 p.m.

The free 85-minute production will be open to the public for two weekends, with showings on February 24 and 25 and March 2 and 3.

Our Time is a play of many different segments combined into one. Students essentially act as teenagers in high school, thinking about events of the future, like graduating. These scenes are built around and used to connect a variety of performances from recitations, to short scenes and musical theater excerpts.

“They [audience] should expect this play to be unique and different from any other plays we’ve done,” said junior Kapaʻiaʻokumukahi Gormley, a member of the cast.

The play is recommended for any age group. Revision on 2/25: Some language may not be suitable for young children.

Dascoulias said adults will laugh and reminisce about their days in high school. Teenagers will be able to recognize the events in the play because they parallel events occurring in their lives.

“The audience will see the kids acting and having fun on stage. Everyone will have an important role. It’s a good show,” Watson said.

The 14 students have been rehearsing since January and are in their final week of practice, not-so-affectionately referred to as Hell Week.

“This is a tech week. We practice during late hours to get proper lighting,” said senior cast member Rachel Bega.

Practices have consisted of “a little of everything,” said first-time KSM director Ms. Alexis Dascoulias. The students practiced staging, lighting, singing and dancing. They also have been running through and memorizing scripts and designing sets.

Dascoulias says she has been enjoying her time directing the high school students. “Teenagers are the perfect combo because they’re smart, fun and less inhibited than adults.” She looks forward to directing more KSM plays in the future.

The students have been fulfilling their responsibilities and have been “working really hard,” Dascoulias said.  Their dedication to perfecting their performances has been “showing through on the stage.”

Others helping with the play are choreographer Aly Cardinalli, vocal coach Tana Larson and set designer Caro Walker.

A problem many students faced was the schedulng of the show.

“The play came really fast. We’re rushing to learn scripts,” said junior Lindsay Watson.

Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) competitions are also held this week, and for Gormley, he will be missing what, to the cast, is the most important week of rehearsal. While studying for and competing at the state competition on Oʻahu, he says he will make time for reviewing his scripts.

Correction 2/23/12: The title of the drama club production is “Our Time.” The title was incorrectly stated in a previous version.