As the school day winded down on a swelteringly busy Friday, many students were leaving school, ready to begin their two day salvation from Community High. But for those who were a part of Just Desserts, the day had only just begun. Few students began to pile into Jackson’s U.S. History room, stomachs churning and foreheads sweating, awaiting the presence of Quinn Strassel, the director of CET.

  Strassel bursted into the room in a quiet, thoughtful fury and the room began to swell with excited energy. The computer cart buzzed to life and everyone held their breath. This was the third year in a row for the special 24 hour edition of Just Desserts, the student run, written, and produced show that marks the end of each school year.

  “The theme for Just Desserts 2017 is…” said Strassel over the pattering drum roll of his selected writers. “Rebirth.” A collective sigh fell over the writers and groups began to giggle on their own. Just Desserts 24 hour edition is known to have a few catches. This year, in addition to the mandatory prop, line, and theme, a song was added, written by Jack Cassell and Jonah Eichner. For this year, the mandatory prop was a set of old keys, the line was “Listen, listen, listen, listen, listen, listen, listen, listen… Listen: Don’t you dare sit on that again,” and the theme, as previously mentioned, was Rebirth. All of the mandatory items must be included in the plays.

  The writing began at 3:30 pm on Friday. Ruby Lowenstein and Hannah Rubenstein began work on their skit called “Astronaughty,” about a group of astronauts who encounter a family of martians and they engage in all sorts of wild shenanigans. Nicole Coveyou and Emily Tschirhart wrote a parody of Scooby Doo called “Booby Doo and the Scratchy Ratchey.” Ben Chambers and Ryan Klooster wrote a story about The Hokey Pokey dance.

  Many students spent the night and others went home around 11:30 pm. Students looked for comfortable places to sleep and the sun rose early the next morning. Students who had left for the night shuffled into the front hall of Community. Parents brought food like bagels and breakfast burritos for the kids who all ate in near silence. Teens chugged cups of black coffee in small paper cups and began their work at 7:30 in the morning. The entirety of the day was spent memorizing lines and working on blocking.

  The curtain call, blocked a mere 5 minutes before the audience was let in, was a mish-mash of characters onstage in a kaleidoscope of different stories. The stories played out both onstage and backstage as cast and crew worked tirelessly to keep the show at a consistent and quick pace. Friends and family chuckled at the wild imaginations of the student actors.

  “I like watching my friends enjoy what they do,” said Brennan Eicher, a junior and friend to those writing and performing. “I think CET as a whole did a wonderful job with Just Desserts 2017.” From wine moms to aliens to cavewomen to murderers, this year’s Just Desserts was one of great success.