Behind the Scenes of “The Mouse That Roared,” Students Build a Production One Piece at a Time
Oskaloosa High School students rehearse a scene from The Mouse That Roared as cast and crew prepare for opening night at the George Daily Community Auditorium. Students have spent weeks building sets, learning lines and working behind the scenes to bring the production together.
⏰ Showtime: 7:00 p.m.
🚪 Doors Open: 6:30 p.m.
📍 Location: George Daily Community Auditorium
🎟️ Tickets: $6 General Admission
🔗 Get advance tickets here: https://bit.ly/TheMouseThatRoared
OSKALOOSA, Iowa – When the curtain rises on The Mouse That Roared, the audience will see a small country declaring war on the United States in a comedy about underdogs, misunderstandings, and unexpected victories. What the audience will not see is the months of planning, building, rehearsing, and problem-solving that brought the production to life. For the students involved, the story on stage is only part of the experience. The real story is the process of working together to make the show happen.
Senior Brenna Deffenbaugh, who plays Countess Mountjoy, said the play’s humor and heart make it easy for audiences to enjoy, but the cast has spent weeks learning how to bring those moments to life.
“It’s a fun drama-comedy about a little country that ends up going up against America,” Deffenbaugh said. “You’re rooting for the underdog the whole way, and you get to see both sides of the story come together.”
Deffenbaugh’s character, the manipulative and commanding Countess Mountjoy, is one of the leaders of the fictional nation of Grand Fenwick. Playing the role has meant more than memorizing lines. As a senior and drama troupe president, she said the production has pushed her to take on leadership responsibilities behind the scenes as well.
“We have younger students in big roles, and I want to make sure they always have someone to help them if they need it,” she said. “It’s a big role to step into, both in and out of character.”
That sense of responsibility has carried through the entire production, especially as the group worked to raise the quality of the set, costumes, and props.
“In the past, we’ve had multiple sets, but this year we’ve really poured a lot of love into the details,” Deffenbaugh said. “The production value has just blown me away. The set, the costumes, the props, everything has been incredible.”
For senior Lidia Pogany, who plays Professor Kokintz, the experience has revealed how much work goes on behind the scenes. Her character designs the powerful “Q-bomb,” a fictional invention that drives much of the play’s conflict, and the role has given her a chance to explore both comedy and tension on stage.
“My character is obsessed with the bomb and making sure it’s safe,” Pogany said. “There’s a scene where I totally panic because someone slams a door, and it could have made the bomb explode. I get to freak out and tell everyone we need to focus.”
Pogany said the biggest surprise has been realizing how many people it takes to make a production work.
“Learning lines is one thing, but there’s also costumes, props, lights, set building, there’s so much detail,” she said. “It can’t be one person doing it all. Everyone has to work together, and that’s what makes it come together.”
That teamwork is especially visible backstage, where senior Kim Terpstra has spent weeks helping design and build the set. Although she is known as the play’s bandmaster, she said working on the crew requires a different kind of leadership.
“With a production this big, it’s about communication and being flexible,” Terpstra said. “There isn’t just one leader. Everyone steps up when they need to, and we all help each other.”
The process started months ago with planning and design, followed by weeks of construction. Students measured, cut wood, assembled platforms, and prepared pieces that will soon be painted and finished.
“It took us about three weeks just to build the larger set pieces,” Terpstra said. “Our biggest stage piece is made from multiple platforms, and it took a lot of planning. It’s heavy, it’s complicated, and it took a lot of people working together to get it right.”
For Terpstra, the behind-the-scenes work shows why fine arts programs matter.
“It gives students an outlet for creativity, but it’s also a really supportive environment,” she said. “You learn how to try new things, work with other people, and figure out what you’re capable of.”
As opening night approaches, the cast and crew know the audience will laugh at the story of a tiny country taking on a superpower. What they hope people also notice is the teamwork behind the scenes. The Mouse That Roared will be performed Friday, March 27, and Saturday, March 28, at 7 p.m. at the George Daily Community Auditorium. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $6 for general admission, and advance tickets can be purchased at https://bit.ly/TheMouseThatRoared. From actors learning lines to crew members building sets piece by piece, the production reflects the same lesson as the play itself: when people work together, even the smallest group can create something big.
