HHNE junior Nathan Schachter directs 11th grader Lianne Zana of Longmeadow, 10th grader Lauren Rosenay of Woodbridge, and 9th grader Avigail Rockland of West Hartford in a rehearsal of Once Upon a Pandora’s Box.

Nathan Schachter’s love for theater has been nurtured over the years right in his hometown of West Hartford. After being a part of ten productions at the Mandell JCC youth theater program – as an actor, spotlight and sound board operator, and member of the stage crew – it was no surprise that he joined the drama program at the Hebrew High School of New England (HHNE), when he became a student at the West Hartford school.

But for this self-proclaimed “theater geek,” the regular drama program was not enough. And so, last spring, the West Hartford teen directed Oz by Don Solidas, HHNE’s first-ever student-run production. “The show was completely student-run, including all artistic and technical aspects of the show. It was an incredible growth experience for me,” said Schachter. “I was able to learn how to be a leader while also doing what I love.”

This year, Schachter is running an in-school student drama club that meets each week and will culminate in a full-length production of Once Upon a Pandora’s Box by Monica Flory, to be presented on Thursday, Dec. 19 at the Mandell JCC.

“The show is really funny,” Nathan remarked. “It’s about two sisters who open Pandora’s box, allowing five villains to escape and wreak havoc.”

The HHNE drama program will also present an all-girls musical in mid-February, and a drama elective, taught twice a week in the spring semester, that will culminate in a performance in June.

Once Upon a Pandora’s Box will be presented on Thursday, Dec. 19, 7 p.m. at the Mandell JCC.  For information visit www.hhne.org.