As Texas’ weather begins to cool down, HCC’s theatre season is just heating up! Over the last week, I had the privilege of getting to know the cast of our newest production, Ring Round the Moon, and seeing their hard work behind the scenes. Written by French playwright, Jean Anouilh, Ring Round the Moon is a witty dialogue-driven romantic comedy filled with deception, mistaken identity, and heartfelt moments. The story takes place over the course of a day and follows a family while diving deeper into human nature and what it really means to love.

When asked, brilliant young actress Gelatto Adermi describes it as, “funny, dramatic, and a little chaotic–but at its core, it’s about people finally dropping their masks and letting their hearts speak. That’s what makes it beautiful to me.” While the excitement for all of us begins now, the real magic began months ago in a rehearsal room on Central Campus, when HCC’s young actors and actresses gathered to memorize their lines, research their characters, analyze their scenes, and practice tirelessly.

I asked Gelatto Aderemi, Mia Cruz, and Kurt Suello, “Did you have to adapt any new skills in order to play these roles?”

Gelatto: “For me, the biggest challenge was stepping into her presence, learning how to slow down, speak with intention, and hold that kind of quiet authority. I had to adjust my body language, my tone, even the way I react. It really pushed me to be more intentional and confident on stage.”

Mia: “So I only played men for a while. Um, walking has been an issue. Yeah. I’ve had to learn how to fix my posture, to be a little bit more womanlike, how to place my hands, how to walk in a dress. Also, something that I try to incorporate is my tone of voice and trying to keep it consistent. But just the learning curve behind Isabelle is more of a thing for me rather than an understanding of the character. The understanding of the character has helped me a lot more when it comes to trying to get over those curves.”

Kurt: “I did adopt a lot of new skills, too many to mention actually. But I would say one of the most important ones was just how to differentiate mannerisms on stage. Because the biggest part of playing 2 different characters on stage is making sure that the audience knows who you are as soon as you enter the stage, but the most important one, I would say, is just the ability to immediately switch to the other character in the blink of an eye, and I believe I’ve achieved that.”

While theatre can be just viewed as bright lights and flashing cameras, it is so much more. Theatre fosters a community where artists and soon-to-be performers of all backgrounds can showcase a myriad of voices and stories that make us laugh, cry, and bring us together. So, I wanted to dig a little deeper with the actors by asking:

“Why is theatre—along with access to it—so important within our community?”

Gelatto: “Theatre is so important because it brings people together and makes you feel. It’s real energy, real emotion, happening right in front of you. There’s something healing about that, like it reminds us we’re not alone. And access matters because not everyone gets the chance to experience that kind of magic. Theatre builds confidence, community, and empathy. It gives people space to express who they are and be seen for it. That’s powerful.”

Mia: “Theater is important for so many reasons. The accessibility that theater has for so many people is that it combines the visual and the auditory aspect of learning. [Plays] have great morals, they have great lessons, and they incorporate cultures in all these different aspects of life because that’s what it means to create. To create means to take inspiration from all aspects of your life. And so, theater is a great way to do that because there are so many different paths you can take to get into theater. You can be a playwright, you can be an actor, you can be a musician. You can be a singer; you can be a dancer. You can work on tech; you can do so many things and still create an amazing show. That has all these different people, and these experiences come together to tell a story.”

Kurt: “I think theater and the access to it is really, really important because theater is, number one, a great outlet for people who are creative, who have imagination, who love talking to people, and who love just being around people. And I think the access to it is very important because everywhere you look, there’s access to theater. Especially with the internet nowadays. You have a lot of access to theater, but in person, access to that is so important in developing your skills and developing yourself as a creative person. Since a lot of people tend to be more towards the introverted side, especially with people who start off in theater, they eventually evolve into more extroverted people, since theater is what really gives you those conversational skills, just a lot of really great basic street skills. I would say, quote-unquote, that are really important for daily life.”

The arts are vital within a community but also to the individual, teaching young adults expression, confidence, teamwork, creativity and so much more. Next, I asked them:

“What specifically has theatre brought into your life?”

Gelatto: “Theatre has brought me so much confidence and clarity. It’s helped me learn how to own my space and speak truth through characters. It’s taught me discipline, patience, and how to really listen, not just on stage, but in life. But the biggest thing is the community. The people, the memories, the laughter, the growth, it all becomes family. Theatre has honestly helped me step into who I am.”

Mia: “I would mention that the theater process is a very rewarding process. I don’t think I say that enough. Because I say every time I go home, like, I’m tired, but it’s all worth it in the end. And when you are able to perform. The most rewarding thing is being able to get ready with your cast. And at the end of the day, you’ve created this show, and after that show, no matter what people think of it, that’s the show you’ve been practicing for so long. People may hate it. People may love it. But performing is one of the most rewarding things ever.”

Kurt: “Community. I’d say it’s the most important thing that theatre brought into my life and I am so thankful for that. I can always just say, the skills that I’ve gained through theater and the experience I’ve gained are part of that, but it’s truly the community I’ve built with so many people in this lifestyle. A lot of these people who I did theater with are amazing people. I can talk to them whenever I want to, and they’ll always have a conversation ready. They’re always ready to pick up the conversation. And I’m so thankful for that, and I’m glad that I got to do theater for my major, and I’ve never regretted it, and I would never look back.”

To wrap things up, my final question to the cast members was, “What would you tell a fellow HCC student who is interested in theatre but never pursued it?” The answer was unanimous: “Just go for it, seriously.” So, I and the amazing cast of Ring Round the Moon urge you to put yourself out there and be a part of the magic! As well as going to see HCC’s new play opening night, Thursday, November 6, 2025. It was an honor to be able to see behind the curtain of our drama department and the dedication of our students at its foundation, I can’t wait to see the future roles in store for this cast.

Claim your free tickets and find your preferred showtime at HCC Art Events.