Loudoun Valley High School’s drama department has had an abundance of award-winning plays and performances in the past, including “Shrek the Musical” and “Freaky Friday.” Last year, Loudoun Valley High School’s drama department won the award “Best Production” for their play “Midsummers Night’s Dream.”

According to Valley drama teacher and director William Staggs, the theatre department has an exciting year planned ahead. The thespians are beginning their season with a comedy about a tragedy called “That Sinking Feeling.” The play is a humorous take on the iconic story of the Titanic. Though comedy is an iffy approach to this historic disaster, Staggs  thinks differently:

“It’s been 100 years since it happened, why not throw some fun in it?”

The show revolves around three lifeboats, the people inside of them and the situations that they bring to the table. Each boat is set in a different scenario. For instance, one boat is based on a poem by Edgar Allen Poe, another revolves around a murder mystery and the last involves something one wouldn’t expect— zombies. Each character has a unique and exciting take to his or her situation.

“The coolest thing that ties the play together is that every person in the play is playing a real life character that was on the titanic,” Staggs said. 

This is incredible seeing as there are 6 people per lifeboat and three lifeboats. To do the math for you, that’s 18 real-life stories that are in the play. This means that not only is it going to be entertaining, but it also holds historical value. 

The Viking Theatre program has many links to professionals and companies to make the show the best it can be. For example, they have a company working on Hollywood-quality costumes and makeup for the show. Additionally, they’ve hired some of the best vocal and dialect coaches in the country to work with the program and make the show as real life as possible.

All in all, this highschool production will be one for the ages.