Middle school students from Hinkletown Mennonite School (HMS), 272 Wanner Road, Ephrata, will present "Pollyanna" on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 25 and 26. A dinner theater will begin at 5:30 p.m. on Feb. 25, and additional performances of "Pollyanna" will take place at 2 and 7 p.m. on Feb. 26.

This classic story by Eleanor Porter invites audiences to join Pollyanna, an orphan facing formidable circumstances in a town full of pessimists, into her "glad game." Pollyanna takes the words of her father to heart - that a person can find something good about anything that happens - and in the process changes the perspective of her neighbors and her domineering Aunt Polly.

The show is directed by Becky Degan, who also led the recent HMS productions of "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe," "Twain's Tales," and "Anne of Green Gables," as well as the Acting Club in 2021. Degan is the associate pastor of worship and Christian education at Forest Hills Mennonite Church in Leola.

All middle school students are participating in the production in some way, whether on stage or behind the scenes. Students handle sound and lighting with support from HMS parents; gather, organize, and prepare props; handle promotions; and provide service at the dinner theater. The students and director are supported by current and former parents, faculty, and staff, whose tasks include backstage management, prop and set design and creation, student logistics, sound and lighting oversight, and meal preparation.

HMS has offered drama productions to the local community since 1988.

For details and reservations, call 717-354-7100 or visit http://www.hinkletownschool.org/events/drama. For the Friday dinner theater, separate ticket prices have been set for adults and for children age 4 through grade eight; admission is free for children age 3 and under. There is a general admission price for the Saturday performances.