Students in the drama department at Salem High School are in a bit of a frenzy in their final days before some big upcoming productions.

The group will perform “Tall Tales” at Magna Vista High School for VHSL Regionals on Saturday, Nov. 17. They follow up with the fall production of “Dark of the Moon” featuring student director Lenny Enkhbold.

Enkhbold shares a bit about the play:

” ‘Dark of the Moon’ is a highly regarded play by Howard Richardson and William Berney. Based on ‘The Ballad of Barbara Allen,’ the play tells a story of a witch named John who wants to marry a human girl, Barbara Allen. A Conjur Woman, out of pity, turns John into a human so he can marry Barbara, the only condition being that Barbara must stay true to John for one year.

“Fear and distrust stand in the way of the couple’s happiness, as do two witches who want to  lure John back into the dark of the night in the moonlight.”

Cast includes Enkhbold as director and stage manager Alex Moushegian. Other actors include Dylan Wade (John), Ryan Nolen (Conjur Man), Stephonie Hickman (Conjur Woman), Autumn Stinnette (Dark Witch), Savannah Stevens (Fair Witch), Kelly Mangum (Edna Summey), Taylor Arris (Mrs. Summey), Katelyn Barker (Barbara Allen), Hannah Cribb (Mrs. Allen), Corey Thompson (Mr. Allen), Nicki Kelly (Miss Metcalf), Megan Gauck (Mrs. Bergen) and Sam Valentine (Mr. Bergen).

Enkhbold says the cast members have had the script since the first day of school, but because the VHSL competition deadline came before the deadline for the fall production, “we’ve lost three to four weeks of practice,” he said. But Enkhbold doesn’t seem too concerned.

“It’s a good group of actors,” he said, many of which have been working together for as long as six years.

“What’s interesting about Lenny,” drama teacher Rachel Sailer says, “is that he came to theatre late in his high school career.” Enkhbold is a senior this year, and makes his directing debut after acting in last year’s production, “Beauty and the Beast,” for the first time. “But he’s good at working with the actors,” Sailer says, “and understanding the playwright’s intent.”

The student actors “really are interested in making it good,” Sailer says.

“Dark of the Moon” opens Monday, Nov. 19 and continues on Tuesday, Nov. 20. Performances begin at 7 p.m. in the Salem High School auditorium.