Written by: Ainsley Hall and published in The Martinsburg Journal on April 4, 2025, link to the article HERE.
HEDGESVILLE — The Hedgesville High School Theater Department takes to the seas as it performs “The Lady Pirates of Captain Bree” this weekend. The story follows Captain Jennings when his ship is taken over by ruthless pirates. He’s left with a small crew to protect his wealthy passengers as they face Captain Bree.
The main cast includes Nathaniel Weber as Captain Jennings; Aaralyn Hahn as Captain Bree; Abigail Morris as Julia Prescott; and Roxxi Newman as Madam Prescott. They shared that a lot of work has gone into preparing for the show, including a lot of physical activity.
The show has several combat scenes, singing and dance numbers. The cast had to build up endurance to do it all at once, while making sure everyone stays safe.
These students also worked hard to embody their characters to bring this fun, action-packed story to the stage. Newman shared that Hedgesville High School’s drama teacher, Kelli Cooper, challenged her to walk around with a book on her head to practice better posture.
“Madam Prescott does not slouch,” Newman said. “She sits properly, with her feet together. I had to practice that in and out of rehearsal to get my body used to it.”
Throughout their time working on the show, these students shared that they learned to have more confidence in themselves. Morris shared that her character Julia learns to take charge, which ends up changing the course of her entire life. She realized that she needed to do the same. Hahn agreed, sharing that she learned to be more confident like Capt. Bree.
“Playing Capt. Bree has helped me build more confidence in myself,” Hahn said. “It’s something I’ve taken away that really impacts my personal life.”
Weber added that this role also made him more confident in his acting abilities. Throughout his time in theater, he’s had the chance to play several different characters — from a fun show about pirates to more dramatic stories during their state competitions. Meanwhile, Newman shared that instead of struggling with feelings of being overshadowed, she realized that she’s done a lot that she can be proud of.
The cast is exiting to share this story with the community, especially several dance numbers like “Shipshape ‘n’ Bristol Fashion” and “Oh, My Captain,” which shows a lot of great character moments. With life music and so many things happening on stage, the audience is guaranteed to have a exciting time sailing the sea with Capt. Bree.
The show officially started on Thursday and continues today with performances at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. at Hedgesville High School’s auditorium. Student tickets cost $10, while adult tickets cost $15.