The NHS Rocket Players are performing Anatomy of Gray Feb. 4-6 at 7 p.m. and Feb. 6 at 2 p.m. Tickets will be sold in the Pickard Auditorium located at NHS or online via: http://www.rocketplayers.com. Students and senior tickets cost $8 and adults cost $10.

Anatomy of Gray was written by Jim Leonard. Set in Indiana during the late 1800’s, death, loss and healing become immensely relatable to the townspeople of boring Gray, Indiana. Perhaps a boring, sad town can still have a light at the end of the road in hopes for a young girl’s future.

Director Jane Dix describes this production, as said by the playwright, as a “children’s story for adults”. It may not be Peter Pan, but every age will relate to the ongoing events that occur in this story. Dix’s inspiration began in the fall of 2010. She fell in love with the play and did a portion of it for a State Theatre Festival. Days went by and the actors graduated, but she always knew she wanted to direct the full production. “The time is now. It is spelled Gray”, as said by Dix. Every audience member will be able to relate to the universal themes of faith, love, exquisitely blends of humor, endearing moments and loss. This production allows the audience to travel back in time to the late 1800s. Each member will experience a time quite different and yet the same as modern day.  “We all come from loss and love” is a line that Dix will never forget.

Behind the spotlight and the red curtains, the cast and crew is running back and forth, under and behind stage. So far all has been well with the cast and crew combining talents. Dix thinks of it as a gift to share her passion for theatre with extraordinary young people. The phrase from Alice in Wonderland says it the best, “We’re all mad here!” Behind the curtains is most definitely organized chaos.

After 11 years and 23 productions at NHS, Dix has encountered heartwarming realities. Every experience directing a show teaches Dix something about herself, others and the world as she knows it. The performances are simply icing on the cake. The cake is the journey to the performances where the students and herself discover the magic of theatre. Through her experience she has found levels of new appreciation for her career that feeds her thriving passion, while making a difference in the lives of impressionable, gifted students. She is simply and most exquisitely blessed.

Dix’s family has supported her since the first grade. She was “the bell that couldn’t tinkle” in her school’s production. Ever since then, through years of warmth and support, her immediate and extended family have always been her support system. Especially her husband. He is her “rock” and she would never be able to do the work that she does without him in her life.

Dix can easily relate to the main character, June. Dix has questioned her faith after loss of a loved one, her beautiful mother. Just like Rebekah, the mother in the show, she would do anything and everything for her child. Pickard is a special place to Dix, the students, Aaron Hoffmann, the technical director, and Jason Stoll, the assistant technical director. Everyone involved in the productions is like a family, the Pickard family. Only through experience can a person understand that Pickard is a place of acceptance, discipline, laughter, magic and love. Dix, along with the Pickard family, hopes that everyone will celebrate the power of emotion, love and kindness in this upcoming production of Anatomy of Gray.