During the quarantines brought on by the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, schools closed their doors and in-person gatherings were canceled until further notice. Many students sought ways to battle their boredom, including Dana Raugh, now a Penn Manor High School (PMHS) senior, who decided to start writing and directed her own theater productions. Four years later, Dana's creative side project has evolved into a DIY theater group that regularly offers shows for the local community.

"The whole thing started because my sister and I were bored and wanted to do something interesting," Dana said. "We got the idea because our cousins used to put on these silly little productions for our family when we were younger, and we had so much fun."

Dana's first play was an adaptation of the board game Clue, which she and her sister, Julie, filmed and uploaded to YouTube in August 2021. Dana continued to put together shows for her YouTube channel with Julie serving as an actress, and Dana eventually transitioned to social media platforms Instagram and TikTok to post the videos. More of Dana's friends became involved with each show, and the group now includes 18 fellow PMHS students or alumni.

After sharing several productions online, Dana held her first live show last summer at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Lancaster. Dana has never held any auditions for her shows, instead welcoming any of her friends to join the cast. The students typically rehearse in the garage of Dana's home a few times a week leading up to the show, and Dana uses tape to map out the stage until they can rehearse at the church one week before showtime. "If they're rehearsing on hot days, they move into the living room and overtake my house," joked Dana's mother, Kristi.

Since organizing her first production, Dana said her main goal has stayed the same: to have fun. "I always tell people if they want to try theater, come check us out," Dana added. "It's nothing embarrassing; just low-key, fun, dumb stuff."

Dana's most recent show took place on July 21 at Redeemer Lutheran Church, and it featured a rendition of "Good Cop Bad Cop" by Ian McWethy and Jason Pizzarello. The event included two performances that were attended by nearly 100 people. Although the 2023 live show was free, audience members paid a small entrance fee this year to help Dana cover the cost of costumes, props and the rights to the play. Dana said she plans to donate any remaining profits from the show to the Redeemer Lutheran Church.

For more information and updates on Dana's plays, visit @danaraughproductions on Instagram.