Young performers will step onto the stage this week as the Steamboat Springs High School presents the play “The Phantom Tollbooth” and middle school performers from around Routt County entertain audiences with the musical “Beauty and the Beast.”

The Phantom Tollbooth

The Steamboat Springs High School Drama Troupe will bring the children’s fantasy adventure novel written by Norton Juster to life with 6:30 p.m. shows on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. There will also be a 3 p.m. matinee performance Saturday. All shows will take place at the Steamboat Springs High School Auditorium, located at 45 Maple Street.

Tickets are available and can be reserved online at SteamboatSchools.net/about-us/box-office for $10 or $20 depending on the seat, and children’s tickets for the 3 p.m. matinee are free.

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“I read it with my mom as a child, and it’s super fun to come back to this and do it in high school,” said Owen Carr, who plays the lead role of Milo in the play. “I have a lot of creative freedom with what I do as a character on stage, and it’s really influential to be around a lot of creative people.”

The play includes 62 students who are involved in the production from the actors on the stage to those behind the scenes handling the lights, sound and stage. Many will step into the spotlight, but this show has a lot of important roles off the stage.

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Senior Salvatore Bessey is handling the technical direction of the production and was excited about Thursday’s opening during a rehearsal earlier in the week.

“This is the first show where I had full creative freedom over designing the set,” Bessey said. “It has been an enjoyable experience working with the other cast members.”

Carr will be joined under in the spotlight by fellow senior Macy Pyles, who will portray Tock the Watchdog.

“This is my first show as the president (of the high school drama troupe), and it’s great,” Pyles said. “I’m really liking the freedom I’m able to have with it and kind of helping other people learn how to do theater. I love working all the underclassmen, they come to me a lot.”

Beauty and the Beast Junior

Just around the corner at 39610 Amethyst Drive at the Steamboat Springs Middle School, more than 60 students will perform the musical production of “Beauty and the Beast.”

“We have students from Sleeping Giant School, North Routt Charter School and Steamboat Mountain School. We open it to students in various schools because we want all middle school students to have the opportunity to participate in theater,” said Kendra Lovins, who is leading the production. 

Shows are scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday with a 3 p.m. matinee at noon on Saturday. Tickets are available and can be reserved through the Steamboat Middle School office.

Michael Martinez, who is leading the effort at the high school to produce “The Phantom Tollbooth,” said the high school changed their matinee so the older students could support the middle schoolers.

Lovins said she also got help from parent volunteers including Jess Valand, Loralee Bullen with costume design and Katie Konold and Janie Christiansen on props.

“Art teacher Garrett Bock designed the sets with his students,” Lovins said.

The production also had ongoing support from the school administration and staff including Heidi Chapman-Hoy, Dennis Alt and Valerie Detriech. 

“The students have worked so hard and have created an incredible piece of theater,” Lovins said. “We’re super excited for parents and community members to see their hard work in action. It’s such a fun show and incredible group of students.”