Conversations and laughter from hundreds of families fill the Pius X Learning & Performing Arts Center (affectionately known as the “LPAC”) before the show. Then the lights dim, and a hush falls upon the audience, as they look toward the stage. The curtain is drawn, revealing the set hand-built by the construction crew, who have transformed the bare stage into a 1930s era scene that is brought to life with the performers’ costumes, makeup, dancing, acting, and artistry.
“There is nothing quite like live theater – especially at Pius, where we strive to tell beautiful stories that point back to God as the source of creation and beauty” explained the 2022 Spring musical’s choreographer, Carly (Ficke) McDermott ’10. With more than 1,400 tickets sold throughout its four showings, Crazy for You was one of the many inspiring performances Pius X students have been able to share with our Lincoln community since the LPAC was built nearly half a century ago, and even prior to having a performing arts center available.
Larry Logsdon ’78 started coming to shows at Pius when he was in grade school and has only missed a handful of shows since then. After the school’s first performing arts center opened in the fall of 1977, Larry was one of the first students to share their talents for the LPAC’s inaugural performance of the play, Scapino! He then was in the first musical in the LPAC, Little Mary Sunshine, which was performed in the spring of 1978. Logsdon also came back to help with productions when he was in college. “Some of my fondest memories of high school centered around the plays and musicals in which I was involved. It encouraged me to do community theatre and I was also on the Pinewood Bowl board. It was even part of my decision to become a teacher,” Larry shared. “Les Miserable is my favorite musical, but it is a very difficult to produce, especially for a high school. But because of talent Pius has had over the years, they excellently performed the musical in 2012. There have also been times when Pius has performed Shakespearian plays. This gave students the opportunity to see, rather than just read Shakespeare in their classes.” For the past 25 years, Larry has continued to share his talents with his alma mater, today serving as Pius’s Speech Teacher and last year’s Theatre Director for the fall play and One-Act.
“There is nothing quite like live theater – especially at Pius, where we strive to tell beautiful stories that point back to God as the source of creation and beauty….I think the overwhelming support is a testament to the high-quality performances that continue to grace the Pius stage….We are so grateful for the support we have received and hope to continue the legacy of high-quality shows for years to come. (Maybe in the new theater space one day!)”
– Carly (Ficke) McDermott ’10
The plays, One Act competitive performances, and musicals expose students to a variety of authors, music, plots, characters and cultures. The 2022 Spring Musical director, Mary Odgaard, described why she selected the Jazz classic that “has all the best of Gershwin.” In one of the Cast and Crew video interviews produced by Zachary Baehr’s multimedia students, Odgaard shared: “Obviously we have a lot of talent here at Pius, who can sing and dance and act. But I think what is often lacking in our culture right now is beauty. And Gershwin is all about beauty. There’s a symmetry to his music, there’s something about the music that gets into your soul, and lets you experience beauty in a way that our culture often doesn’t allow us to.”
In addition to the soul-stirring music, the near-constant choreography of Crazy for You enhanced the flare within the story, showcasing the multiple talents and personalities of the students. Carly McDermott ’10 returned to the LPAC stage to serve as the choreographer for the spring musical. “It was especially rewarding for me to return as a former Pius Player. I recall vividly the blood, sweat, and tears that it takes to create an entire production in the span of 6 weeks, and it was an honor to come alongside these students and work toward a common goal. I am also so grateful to Mrs. Odgaard (my former teacher), who invited me into the collaboration process and trusted me with the choreography.”
McDermott shared why being part of the production was inspiring for many reasons. “I don’t often get to use my dance background as an adult, so the experience of creating choreography and then seeing it come alive through the hard work of the cast members was so rewarding,” she said. “Crazy for You is an extremely dance-heavy & demanding show, and it really pushed everyone to the next level.” Tatum Maley ’23, (playing the role of Mitzi), described the show’s rehearsal process in the X-change student newspaper “…we worked song by song, scene by scene, and it’s kind of like a puzzle, where you piece each individual part together, then you start to go with the flow of the show.”
“The joy I have when I see my alumni friends come and support me on stage as well as my teachers, is a wonderful feeling…”
– Titus Rosno ’23
Terri Schilmoeller ’05, who serves as music teacher at St. Teresa School and is in high demand as a choral director, flutist, and organ/piano player throughout Lincoln, was also excited to return to Pius X in a teaching capacity to showcase the music “from one of The Jazz Age’s most iconic duos, the Gershwin brothers.” Schilmoeller described how Crazy for You “was a perfect cross-curricular study for students who have learned about the Roaring Twenties in history class or read The Great Gatsby in a literature class. Making cross-curricular connections is one of the best ways to engage students and deepen their understanding of material learned.” As one student shared with Mrs. Schilmoeller the week before the show, “we JUST studied ‘the follies’ in history this week and I already knew all about it!”
Terri noted, “It is the mark of a well-rounded musician and actor to study and perform as many different genres and eras as possible. We can be proud that students’ musical theater experiences at Pius go beyond enjoyable but are also educationally high-quality….I have been so impressed by way these students outwardly live their faith, their work ethic, and the way they support and collaborate with each other.”
Aden Miller ’23, who played Everett Baker in this year’s musical, described the unique expression of emotion that sets musicals apart from other types of performances: “The thing about musicals is that it gets emotion across that you can’t just do with just words. Words can only do so much, then you break out into song, and when the song is not enough, you start dancing to show how excited you are, or how sad you are or how frustrated you are.”
Kevin Pynes ’22, shared this audition advice after his role of playing Bobby Childs in Crazy for You: “Just be yourself and be authentic and take that character where you would.” Titus Rosno ’23 felt that “the music was amazing” and took on the challenge of performing with a Hungarian accent for the role of Bela Zangler. Following in two of his sisters’ footsteps to perform in Pius X productions, Rosno shared how his sisters attending his performances “truly means the world to me.” He also shared: “The joy I have when I see my alumni friends come and support me on stage as well as my teachers, is a wonderful feeling. On top of that my whole family and friends coming to the show is so very special.”
Behind the scenes, the crew spend countless hours to help the performers look and sound their best. Cecilia Doty ’22 works with other students to incorporate lighting into the show, creating moods without overpowering the actors. Their scripts are marked with scene changes that call for lighting changes. While she likes to perform with groups, for the musical she’d rather be behind the spotlight than in it. “I want people to focus more on the show rather than the lights,” she said. “I want it to be a background like effect, but still bring the show to life.” Isaac Rutledge (a freshman during last year’s show) helps build the set, even though he admits he doesn’t really know how to read a blueprint. “It’s kind of like two different whole groups of people coming together to make one musical,” Rutledge said. “There’s a lot of new friends, a really good experience, a good environment. It’s a lot of fun.”
“I am a firm believer that the performing arts are one of the most important parts of the human experience….Music, dance, and visual art are frontispieces when studying various cultures. I hope that people
who want Pius to be a community hub for thriving students and vibrant spirituality will see that a flourishing arts program is a key component of the culture they’d like to foster.”
– Terri Schilmoeller ’05
Terri Schilmoeller noticed the family-like environment created by working on a large production together. “Students become closer through the hours of work and downtime to prepare the show. It’s much more than a rote task of building a set, turning on lights and memorizing lines. With the variety of talents and personalities it takes for a show, it can become a second home for anyone….Being a part of the musical cast or crew was clearly a safe and uplifting place for kids to be a part of something meaningful to them. Hearing them congratulate and thank each other before each show proved for me how important this experience is for them.” Terri also shared her joy in being able to “pay it forward” as a Pius X alum whose teachers helped lay the groundwork for her career today as a professional musician and Catholic school teacher. “It has been so interesting to return to the high school that made such an impact on my life and witness how it continues to be a place of nurturing formation for its students. Pius teachers were instrumental in helping me grow as a musician and student leader, and it is rewarding to be doing the same for current students.”
Thanks to our supportive community and incredibly generous benefactors, the arts have been able to flourish at Pius X High School. “I am a firm believer that the performing arts are one of the most important parts of the human experience,” Terri Schilmoeller ’05 said. “Music, dance, and visual art are frontispieces when studying various cultures. I hope that people who want Pius to be a community hub for thriving students and vibrant spirituality will see that a flourishing arts program is a key component of the culture they’d like to foster.”
As the school has grown, performing arts and musical opportunities have also expanded to include chamber orchestra, concert band, jazz band, marching band, pep band, Spectrum and Prism show choirs, Sotto Voce acapella choir, concert choir, Cantabella advanced women’s choir, Laudamus women’s choir, men’s choir, and barbershop choir, involving hundreds of students annually with numerous performances and special events such as the Madrigal dinner, Stardust dinner theater, and more. “I hope that our benefactors not only recognize the importance of student participation in these programs – and how life-giving this can be – but I hope that they too are benefiting from and being inspired by the quality output the Pius students are creating,” Schilmoeller said.
Community members’ desires to attend Pius X performances frequently outpace the LPAC’s seating capacity. Carly McDermott noted, “I think the overwhelming support is a testament to the high-quality performances that continue to grace the Pius stage….We are so grateful for the support we have received and hope to continue the legacy of high-quality shows for years to come. (Maybe in the new theater space one day!)”