Frieda Gebert says her drama students really stepped up their game this year. “Freaky Friday” the musical will go up Friday and Saturday at Ragged Edge Community Theatre in Harrodsburg, after only nine weeks of rehearsals.

However, drama teacher Gebert says they’re ready.

“Each year when we finish a show, I ask students for suggestions for the next year’s musical,” she said. “Freaky Friday” is a show that appeared on the most lists last year.

Gebert said although the final decision on show selection rests with her, she wants the students to feel invested in the production.

“However, I’m also a stickler about choosing shows that send a positive message. I think students today have so many pressures and negative influences that I hate to see them spend weeks and weeks focusing on material that can be disturbing.”

The past few years, Gebert said students had so many conflicts for the spring show — senior trips, prom, testing, college visits — so she decided to move the production to March, before the end-of-the-year activities start to overtake everyone. But, it meant a shorter rehearsal period.

“It’s been a real challenge, but the students have really stepped up their game. We have nearly 30 students in our Musical Theater class this year, and lots of them are new to the program. This will be the first musical several of them have performed,” she says.

Faculty members from BCHS also stepped up their game — four of them are portraying teacher roles: Katelyn Fryar, Mike Petkus, Beth Prather, and Eli Edwards are all playing parts.

“They have even learned the choreography for the final number — now that takes courage, dancing in front of your students,” Gebert said. The show’s choreographer is Lindsay Campbell, who Gebert said has done a great job “as usual.” 

The story is a familiar one, she said: A mother-daughter relationship full of miscommunication and resentment. “Every mother and daughter in the world can relate to that. But to watch this pair actually experience each other’s life first-hand brings lots of unexpected laughs and surprises. And the music is so much fun …”

Gebert said one of the most exciting parts about this production is that, if everything goes according to schedule, it may be the last show a Boyle school has to perform in another organization’s theater.

“We are thankful to all of the organizations that have hosted us over the years, but hopefully, our own theater is scheduled to be finished before our next spring musical in 2020,” Gebert said. Soon, Boyle drama shows will happen in a “beautiful new, state-of-the-art theater.�� She said she hopes everyone comes out next year and “enjoys our new addition to the life of the community.”

But, until then, she said “make the short drive to Harrodsburg” and go see “Freaky Friday,” and support local youth invested in the arts.

“I think audiences will be truly glad they did.”

The rest of the cast of “Freaky Friday” includes: Alyssa Wray, Skylar Hensley, Camren Elkins, Zeke Harkness, Darcy Houghton, Shelby Watson, Kat Lark, Mason Lockhart, Ava Cullen, Savannah Seay, Jaye Farthing, Molly Boyle, Seth Stomberger, Ian Birney, Hennessy Ison, Brianna Lee, Ava Sanders, Jasmyn Sleet, Emma Barrett and Abbie Lamb.