At first glance, the Collierville High School auditorium looks like any other rehearsal space — backpacks in the front row, scripts scattered across the stage, stage lights half on.
But within minutes, it starts to build up into a detailed story.
A whistle blows. The music blasts through the side speakers. Students rush into position, checking scripts again before putting them away. Suddenly, the stage is no longer a school auditorium anymore, but a traveling circus.
This year, Collierville High School is bringing Water for Elephants to life, a story centered around Jacob Jankowski, a young man who joins a struggling circus after losing his parents in an automobile accident. Set in the 1930s, during the Great Depression, the story blends romance, danger, and the unpredictable energy of circus life.
Director Chris Luter said the challenges facing the production were more than just the story design.
“It’s been a challenge. The biggest challenge was the snow and ice during the past school weeks, which cut off much time for practice and prevented the important elements from other schools coming in”, Luter explained. “Also incorporating all the elements together was a major challenge”.
Students practice coordinated movement meant to mimic circus performers. Timing is everything. A step too early or too late throws off the rhythm of a scene. Even without full costumes or finished lighting, the cast is working to create the illusion of a bustling big top.
During one rehearsal run-through, a tense exchange between characters stops the room. The energy shifts instantly from playful to serious, reflecting the darker undertones of the story. Moments later, a lighter scene breaks the tension, drawing laughter from classmates watching in the audience seats. The music playing in the background matches the emotional dynamics of the scene. The audience applauds as members of the cast go backstage to switch costumes for the next part.
Director Luter also discusses what a successful performance should look like.
“A successful performance should look like what it looks like every night”, Luter said. “The audience should exit feeling a sense of wow.”
Behind the scenes, students are working just as intensely. Set pieces are being assembled to suggest train cars and circus tents. Lighting is being tested to recreate the warm glow of carnival lights. Costumes — still in progress — hang neatly backstage, hinting at the transformation that will take place on opening night.
As the performance date approaches, the atmosphere in rehearsal has noticeably shifted. Early practices were focused on learning lines and blocking scenes. Now, the focus is on refinement: smoothing transitions, sharpening minor details in the storyline, and building consistency.
The only thing stopping the show is the wait.
Opening night hasn’t arrived yet, but the pieces are coming together. The circus isn’t fully formed — at least not yet — but it’s close.
Soon, the auditorium will no longer feel like a rehearsal space. It will feel like a world of its own, one filled with risk, romance, and the fragile hope of a traveling circus trying to survive.
For now, though, the stage sits in between practice and performance, waiting for the curtain to rise.
