Lawrence High School seniors, from left, Amy Bullerman, Elisa Gill, Leslie Rhoton, Abbey Murray, Whitney Juneau and Drew DeBiasse sing Regretting

Leslie Rhoton had to go to school, attend three hour-long rehearsals, organize yearbook deadlines and cheer on the Lawrence High School Lions at a varsity basketball game.

Free State High School senior Jordan Wright had to balance rehearsals with drum lessons, Boy Scout meetings and working at Best Buy.

These two weren’t alone trying to organize crazy, stressful schedules. So what was the cause for all of this mayhem?

Auditions were approaching for the annual productions of Showtime and Encore, the pop and rock shows put on each spring by the choral departments at LHS and Free State, respectively.

While audience members see flawless choreography and smooth transitions between numbers, many have no idea what goes on before the final numbers are chosen.

Lawrence High school seniors Abbey Murray, left, and Whitney Juneau practice a number for Showtime.

Reid Starks, a Free State senior, said he practiced about three hours a night before auditions. Starks auditioned 10 numbers, and six of those made it into the show.

“I would have had a harder time balancing everything because I was playing soccer,” said Starks, who performed in Encore in early April. “But I broke my foot.”

Learning choreography apparently wasn’t too hard to do with his injury.

“For one of my numbers they just put me in a shopping cart,” he said.

The first step of the audition process is for students to create groups and choose music. Once a song is chosen, the groups set up rehearsal time, learn harmonies and make up choreography. For the actual audition, students are required to perform in front of a panel of judges. They construct a packet with an original copy of the sheet music, a tape and costume and lighting ideas. They also have to plan stage lighting and microphone placement.

Starks said he had grown up watching Showtime and Encore.

Lawrence High School seniors, from left, Michael Jordan, Jeff Hornberger, Max Phillips, Tyron Brown and Chris Orlando practice For

“I never thought I could do this, but there’s something about going up on stage and doing what you love to do,” Starks said.

Cathy Crispino, LHS choral director, said that students auditioned about 66 numbers for 29 available slots. The show also contains built-in numbers, including openers for each act, a closing number, a senior song and numbers for the individual choir classes.

The students are given guidelines for picking their pieces, but Crispino said she usually discouraged anything too personal or depressing.

“It’s fun to see what they’ve put together,” Crispino said. “This is unique in that it’s a totally student-driven production, and the most rewarding part is watching their personal growth.”

Rhoton said the process was stressful but she wasn’t too nervous for the auditions.

She said auditions created a lot of stress for her students but were one of the most enjoyable times for her.

“Ms. Crispino only puts the strongest numbers in the show, and those are usually the ones you have the most fun performing,” Rhoton said.

FREE STATE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS Emily Thomas, left, Amanda Cromer, center back, Lauren Oberzan, center front, and Emma Markley dance during rehearsal for Encore. The school staged the show March 31-April 2.

The participants agreed that two things make the process worthwhile: the new friendships and the final product.

“Eventually you get to meet a lot of people that you wouldn’t be talking to,” Wright said. “It expands your group of friends and makes you realize that there are other people at school and not just the ones you hang out with.”

Wright said the emotion at the end of the three nights of shows was something he would never forget.

“When the curtain finally opens on Thursday and when it closes on Saturday, night you have such a feeling of pride,” he said.

ERIN MCDOWELL performs Adelaide's Lament from Guys