Sounds of laughter and joy were hard to be missed Saturday evening in Historic Downtown Elizabethton.

It was a time of recognition for Elizabethton High School Drama students as they celebrated senior night with the final performance of the Shakespearean comedy “Leading Ladies” in front of a packed house at the Bonnie Kate Theater.

Over the course of two weekends, students were able to bring Tony award-winning author Ken Ludwig’s story to life about two British actors making the rounds in the United States performing two-man Shakespearean shows during the 1950s.

“I wanted a comedy and I wanted Shakespeare, but I also wanted some quality female roles,” Drama teacher, Meg Foster, told the Elizabethton Star. “Shakespeare is quoted many times and the plot of Twelfth Night is the base of the play, so it has everything I was looking for.”

The cast for each production included Mattie Carr, JP Abner, Jarrett Cox, Abby Montford, Baylor Anderson, Bess Allen, Colby Dugger and Adam White.

Additional students that helped with the productions included Kallie Jenkins, Madison Townsend, Courtney Bowers, Cassidy Stover, Sarrah Eggers, Lily Bates, Tiffany Hill, Maddie Walters, Zach Dula-Elliott, Emily Jenkins, Bailey Marvel, Aubrey Toncray, Max Garbe, Marquis Bush and Zeke McClure. EHS teacher Daniel Proffitt also assisted in promoting the event.

Foster, who handled the directional duties for the event, spent the time prior to Saturday’s performance honoring each senior member of the drama club. The roles were quick to reverse as students surprised Foster with her own director’s chair embroidered with “our leading lady” and signed by each of the students.

Future performers in the community will soon have the opportunity to use the same stage as their older peers.

Bonnie Kate is gearing up for the “Fairy Tale Music Theater Camp” June 11-15 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for youth ages 6 to 12. At the conclusion of the camp, performances of “Snow White and the Dancing Dwarfs” will take place Saturday, June 15, and Sunday, June 16, at 2:30 p.m. each afternoon. The camp will cost $120 and be led by Marcia Ross, Christy Alaska Vance and musician Susan Heaton. Individuals can email bonniekatetheater@gmail.com for more information.

Encouraging the performing arts has been a successful tool for the facility, which has seen either near, or packed crowds, for each of the performances since reopening to the general public. Events have been held to raise notoriety for local performers and raise additional funds to help with improvements at the Bonnie Kate. A new addition to the facility is also around the bend with Red Chili Restaurant expected to open inside the theater on Wednesday.

To learn more about upcoming projects at the downtown attraction, visit the Bonnie Kate Theater Restoration Project Facebook page.