Even though Gabe Rogers ’19 is 17 years old, he played as a 96 year-old Grandpa Joe in Jesuit High School’s latest production, Wonka. The main character of Wonka, Charlie, lives with his grandparents and parents in a shack next to a chocolate factory.

Willy Wonka, the owner of the giant chocolate factory, hides five gold tickets inside candy bar wrappers. Charlie discovers one of these tickets, so he, his grandfather, and the other four chosen kids head to the chocolate factory, where they explore crazy rooms, including one where an obese, German boy named Augustus Gloop falls into a chocolate river.

“Wonka was really fun to be in because it was a really silly, goofy show,” said Gabe.

Gabe is one of many participants invested in Jesuit’s drama program, even though he wasn’t originally expecting to join it. First, Gabe wanted to take part in Jesuit’s highly competitive robotics team, but he wasn’t sure that he was going to make the team and wanted to have a backup. He went to a drama meeting to try out for the program, and, to his surprise, he made it.

The students in drama typically work on their productions three days a week for two to three months before the show’s premiere. The people in the productions love drama and work hard; the technical equipment is some of the best among high school drama programs; but perhaps the greatest part about Jesuit Drama is the director, Mr. Ed Trafton.

“He is one of the most influential people in my life,” said Gabe. “He’s incredibly kind, and he pushed me to be more confident and more open.”

Jesuit’s drama productions can be silly, but the students in the shows, like Gabe, are serious and committed to what they do, even when they are acting as someone else.