The moment theater teacher Kimberly Roberts stepped into the black box during her interview a couple of months ago, she instantly fell in love with it. She knew right then and there that the black box would be a perfect place for the spring play, subText.

“Using that kind of space is so intimate,” Roberts said. “The audience is really seeing every expression on the actors’ face.”

By changing the location and times for the play to 3:30 and 7:00 p.m, Robert says that she hopes to attract more students to see the play.

At Muncie Central High School, Roberts’ former place of employment, she would have the spring play in their black box, and it worked out great, according to Roberts. Their black box converts into a classroom, so that was inconvenient for her, which is why she is looking forward to having the play at SHS.

Even though the black box can only hold a maximum of 125 audience members, Roberts is not worried about seating. She was told that the average turnout for the spring play was around 150 people, and since the play is spread out to six performances, she doesn’t think the low seating capacity should pose a problem.

Roberts also wants the cast to experience the difference in intimacy that the black box has to offer.

“For young actors, that’s a great challenge and a great opportunity because they have to stay in the moment and very honest the whole time whereas sometimes in a big proscenium, they can hide and the audience isn’t as connected,” Roberts said.

However, senior Coltin Faulkner feels differently. He thinks that it’s unfair to seniors who won’t have another opportunity to be on stage.

“There’s just a certain feeling you get when you’re up on the stage,” Faulkner said. “I feel like it was taken away.”

He says that even though it’s a different experience for the actors, not all of them will feel comfortable performing in such a tight area.