By LAURA BROOKHART / Community Columnist

Under the leadership of Jefferson Casey, HHS Theater Director and Jennifer Culver, HHS Literary Magazine Sponsor, an evening of student performances titled “Helena Unleashed” was presented on March 6.

Students participating chose to sing, some accompanied by other students or recorded background music, while others read from their own writings, gave dramatic readings or monologues. Just one individual—the creatively expressive Curtis Wood— performed in dance.

Wood’s interpretative dance performed to “Excision” by Bass Cannon brought him a standing ovation from all in attendance just prior to intermission.

When asked about the idea and concept that led to his creation, Wood said, “One night I was watching Iron Man, and it gave me a perfect theme to incorporate some dance moves that were already in my mind.

“I stayed up all night coming up with the plot and choreography. The overall theme is a major war that only a few survive.”

Wood first appears on the empty stage cloaked in black with the face of a skeleton.

“As one of the survivors, part of me is mechanical, but I don’t realize that yet,” he said. “Part of my brain is removed on my left side and I have a new heart and a robotic arm on the right side.

“Well, the left side of the brain controls the right and that part of my brain is gone. So I have no control of that arm.

“Toward the end, the arm starts to do what the ‘people’ tell it,” Wood continues. “I try to stop it, but I can not. In the end I kill myself so I don’t have to live with their control.”

Curtis Wood shared that he plans to take this performance to the Grand Nationals, and we wish him every success.

Jefferson Casey summarized the evening saying, “I thought the show went really well considering it was the first talent show for HHS and several of the people had never been able to even come to the rehearsals.

“We had a couple of bumps, but I believe the wide range of talent displayed shows what diversity in creativity we have at the school. I am looking forward to it expanding and growing over the next few years, and I think this year laid the foundation to do that.”