Look behind the scenes at making JTS

The room is light with students anticipating the acts that might appear behind the curtain. It’s a commonplace and feeling most students at Branson feel as they take their seats in the Jewett Family Theatre, waiting for their peers to take the stage, waiting for the Junior Talent Show to begin.

A huge tradition at Branson, JTS is an anticipated event every year. Even before the show begins, you hear laughter and side conversations about the juniors and what they might perform. Then it starts, darkness crowds the room as everyone hushes down and waits for juniors to take the stage.

For the juniors, JTS can be a stressful time as they try to plan and rehearse their events for the performance. But what happened behind the scenes of JTS? What was the process like for the faculty and Juniors trying to put on a memorable show for the entire school and community? 

“I thought the entire process was such a whirlwind! It felt like we had not much time to get everything done but my favorite part was seeing how my class pulled it all together,” said junior Helena Curry, one of this year’s MCs.

She also said that the experience deepened the connection between the class as a whole.

Maggie Molter and Jeff Symonds, also fellow advisers overseeing the process of JTS, commented on their take away from this year’s show.

Molter said that it was a “good mixing bag” and “one of the only parts of Branson when kids don’t need to be perfect.”

In an academic school like Branson, stress levels are always high. But with experience and moments like JTS, the students get a little breather and are able to just have some fun with friends to always remember.

JTS was “all about having fun,” Molter added.

Regarding the work ethic for this year’s students for JTS, “it built slowly as we approached the show,” Symonds said.

His favorite moment, Symonds said, was when all the faculty and students got together.

“The moment on the last night, of the last dress rehearsal, realizing the show was about to begin,” he said.