Ely High School fall theater production ‘Ranked, A Musical’

Krystal Poppler, the director of the Ely High School musical recently discussed the upcoming production of “Ranked, A Musical.” “It’s a psychological drama exploring academic pressure and self-worth. The program, involving students from grades 6–12, serves as a critical creative outlet for a diverse student body, including multi-sport athletes, during the eight-week window between fall and winter sports seasons.”
The Ely High School program follows an inclusive “no-cut” policy to encourage student growth. If you audition, there will be a place for you in the production. Participation has increased from 17 to 20 students year-over-year.
The show “Ranked” was chosen for its introspective themes. The two-act play challenges students to portray characters whose identities are tied to academic rankings; ultimately emphasizing that self-worth is not defined by a number. The characters are challenged to find the courage to just be themselves and find the value in one another.
Crystal grew up in Ely and has been in the performing arts as a dancer since the age of 3. She has been a choreographer for many different productions and is the Principal of the Tower-Soudan Elementary School. She obviously loves teaching and the considers her involvement with the performing arts as a creative outlet for all kids and her chance to learn something from them as they as they are challenged to step out of their comfort zones,
The creative and design production staff includes some familiar names in area productions: Andrea Strom (costumes), Rebecca Olson (music direction), Nick and Jane Holtz (sets/lighting), and Justin Olson (sound).
The show is staged in the Ely High School auditorium and incorporates the recently installed high-end theatrical video projector.
Beyond theatrical performance, the director focuses on building lifelong skills and respect for collaborative schedules.
Crystal concluded: “I think the teamwork that the kids learn from this is one of the biggest benefits. They learn to work with people they don’t normally work with. They are interacting with people from many grade levels, it’s not like a classroom experience. Also, there’s something about confidence building and the value in that. It’s a lifelong skill to get up in front of people and do something, to say something important. You speak or sing in public - that is something they’ll be able to take with them forever.
Show dates for “Ranked, A Musical” are 7 p.m. Friday Nov. 12 and Saturday Nov. 14. Tickets are at the door.