The familiar name of the Goodman Theatre causes people around the country to think of Chicago and of music. However, for two Benet seniors in particular, the words Goodman Theatre mean so much more.

Seniors Katie Ford and Justin Smusz spent their summer at the Theatre participating in two teen programs: the Musical Theatre Intensive and the Playbuild Theatre. Their hard work culminated in two shows on August 14 and 15.

When Goodman reached out to Benet last spring, Benet’s music director Mr. Brian Wand encouraged his students to apply for the programs. Ford and Smusz followed through, and each student earned a spot in both of the productions after an audition process. All summer, the seniors attended practice six days a week. They often took the train into the city together and walked from Union Station to the Goodman.

The Goodman Theatre teen programs turned out to be more than either Ford or Smusz could have imagined. Both students became very close friends with everyone in both productions. They were two of only nine kids to participate in both programs. Of the two, Ford liked the Musical Theatre Intensive better. The show was titled “My Voice” and was designed to show how theatre impacts the lives of the performing young people. Of the 25 high schoolers in the show, most wrote a poem about what their voice means to them. To Ford, her voice “means everything to me… If I didn’t have my voice, I wouldn’t be me.” The production consisted of a compilation of songs, mostly from different musicals. Among other songs, the theatre students performed two “Hamilton” numbers. As part of the first high school group to cover the famous musical, Ford, an avid “Hamilton’ fan, described the experience as “surreal and exciting.”

As if the Musical Theatre Intensive wasn’t enough work for the summer, Ford and Smusz joined ranks again-along with about 60 other high school students-the next night to perform in the Playbuild Theatre production. Entirely different from the Musical Theatre, this performance put together all of the play scenes that the students had created throughout the summer. It was a more difficult but equally as rewarding and enjoyable show.

Without a doubt, Ford and Smusz enjoyed their summers at the Goodman Theatre. If given another chance to perform there, both would pounce on the opportunity. However, Ford made the point of saying that performing on a stage is not the only way to perform. “Performing doesn’t have to be on an elaborate stage with bright lights,” she says. “It’s human nature.”