With a graceful swoop and an umbrella in hand, senior Maggie Crichton flew across the Huizenga Auditorium—effortlessly, confidently. Gasps turned into roaring applause as the audience rose to their feet, swept up in the magic of the moment. But it wasn’t just the flight that dazzled—it was the way she commanded the stage with poise, joy, and energy.

“I have a horrible fear of heights,” Maggie admitted with a laugh. “Flying over the audience took a lot of prayer. I think there were 30 people praying for me just so I wouldn’t have a panic attack! But I got through it.”

This was more than just a performance. It was the final act of a journey filled with grit, growth, and a whole lot of behind-the-scenes hustle and courage.

Maggie landed her first role in a Timothy production as a fifth grader. She played Gretl in the high school production of The Sound of Music. Since then, she’s performed in numerous shows inside and outside of Timothy. In many ways, she grew up on Timothy's stage—not just as an actor, but as an example of hard work and perseverance.

“I basically lived at the school,” she said, describing the grueling rehearsal schedule of Mary Poppins. “I had rehearsal every single day from when the musical started to the very, very end. Trying to balance schoolwork with the musical was definitely a challenge.”

There are so many lessons theater teaches: teamwork, collaboration, leadership, public speaking (or singing, in this case), humility, and above all, grace. At Timothy, there’s an opportunity for anyone to participate in theater—from lead roles to supporting parts, stage crew, stage management, construction, musicians in the pit, hair and makeup, costumes, front of house, choreography, and lights and sound. Every role is uniquely critical to the performance—and every student matters.

In fact, under the direction of Katie Crichton (yes, that’s Maggie’s very talented mom) and Erin Lanenga (the Performing Arts Coordinator), over 82 students came together to perform Mary Poppins, the Broadway Musical—and sold out all four performances. From the challenging pit orchestra music to chimney-sweeping choreography and a flying rig, every piece of the production was a labor of love (and a touch of theatrical magic).

For Maggie, being Mary Poppins wasn’t just about nailing solos or perfecting a British accent. It meant stepping up as an encouraging mentor. “It was really important to me to connect with everyone—from freshmen to seniors,” she said. “I wanted the cast to feel like a family, not just a group of people learning lines.”

Her leading example was evident—especially in the technically intense number Jolly Holiday, where the entire cast sang and danced. “The coordination had to be perfect,” Maggie said. “We didn’t really nail it until the second dress rehearsal!”

There are so many lessons theater teaches: teamwork, collaboration, leadership, public speaking (or singing, in this case), humility, and above all, grace.

A natural camaraderie forms after ten weeks of rehearsals, but at Timothy, it goes deeper than just shared stage time. For Erin Lanenga, theater isn’t just about the final performance—it’s about being the body of Christ.

“A production of this magnitude requires much patience, grace, and humility,” Mrs. Lanenga said. “Each director, adult mentor, and student is entrusted to do their role to the best of their ability. Much like a music ensemble, we depend on everyone to not only cross the finish line, but to do so with excellence. I pray that each person understands their value in the bigger picture, but more importantly learns to encourage one another in the process. For a while, we focus on what we individually need to do, but at the end of the day, we are a beautiful and diverse creative team. We simply ask, ‘What can I do to help you?’ It takes an incredible amount of trust in one another, but we all need the humility and support from our brothers and sisters to complete the project.”

Maggie is also a member of the school’s jazz band, choir, chamber singers, and worship team. Though she once considered a different career path, she’s now planning to pursue a major in vocal performance—likely at Luther College in Iowa.

“I’ve never gotten sick of music,” she said. “It’s always been something I I love, so I figured, why not pursue it? I’ve been making connections and getting experience.” Her dream job? “I’d love to be a jazz nightclub singer—singing and drumming. That would be the dream. It might not make a lot of money, but it’s what I love.”

Her journey hasn’t gone unnoticed by her mentors. “Mr. Pelt, my band teacher, helped me so much,” she said. “He connected me with drum teachers, and helped me find scholarships to camps like Birch Creek Music Performance Jazz Camp in Door County, Wisconsin.”

As graduation nears, Maggie is reflecting on what she’ll miss most. “Definitely the drama department,” she said. “It’s the people. The community. I grew up on that stage.”