When members of the Evergreen Players middle school ensemble realized they were fascinated by wolves, they were inspired to write a play.

The group performed its play “The Mark” on Dec. 10, telling the story of a girl descended from wolves and her interactions with characters in other realms along the way.

The four students developed characters they were interested in, and with help from instructors Nya Kingsbury and Marilyn Herrs, they turned their ideas into the plot.

This play stemmed from actor Lindsey Atlas’ character.

“I based my character on a Greek character,” she said. 

Throughout the class, both instructors could see the participants coming out of their shells as actors and as people.

“They’re really blossoming,” Herrs said.

In the hour leading up to the performance, an excited energy was clearly present in the room. While doing last-minute makeup touchups and running lines one more time, the group anticipated getting on stage. They broke in giggles as they tried to practice their group howl. 

“They’re just hilarious. They have so much fun,” Kingsbury said. 

When thinking about their theater and performance experiences in general, the actors said they enjoyed having the after-school outlet.

“I can be as dramatic as I want,” actor Logan Lamont said as she tossed her head back in a mock faint. 

Another actor, Noelle Sackett, appreciated the relationships that came out of the class.

“I’ve met a lot of cool people,” she said.

Actor Varenna Osgood was looking forward to performing in front of an audience.

“Literally everyone in my family [is coming],” they said.

The play drew an audience of about 20 people, who were captivated by the whole show. They laughed at the funny quips and applauded the dramatic monologues. 

After the last lines were said, the group was not finished. Two cast members had visited Lancaster Sanctuary, a wolf-hybrid sanctuary in Idaho Springs, where they learned more about the animals and the effects humans and domestication can have on them.

The group presented information about wolves, hoping to raise awareness about the animals. It also took donations for Lancaster Sanctuary.