Every day after school while all you readers have been running cross country, jabbing each other with those foam swords, or listening to phat beats with your friends, 17 talented Ames High students have been rehearsing the lines of the Drama department’s fall play that will be gracing the stage of the Ames High School Auditorium this weekend. After weeks of hard work, the cast of the comedic play Murder By Indecision is ready and anticipating the performance of their demanding after school activity. Murder By Indecision is a comedy about an aging playwrite named Agatha Crispy, who is struggling to complete her last play by a nearing deadline. The play is not only an account of her writing process; the characters of Crispy’s work come to life throughout the play, sharing with the audience a perspective from “the play within the play.” As Crispy is writing her final piece for the stage, she takes tea breaks during which the characters of her creation comment about their lives and the reality Crispy is designing for them. According to English teacher and director Del Schmidt, Murder by Indecision is a humorous and play to watch, but has also been fun to direct. “We have a really fun cast, and we had a great time putting the play together,” he said. While the play is of course meant to entertain the audience, there are other rewarding aspects to being a part of the production. Freshman Cooper Bergman, one of the 17 actors in Murder By Indecision, said that participating in the play has broadened his interest in acting. “It’s been a really good experience,” Bergman said. “Being in the play has made me want to do more acting in the future.” But for Schmidt, who is not a visible part of the final product, finds all the benefits in the process itself. “For me, the best part is seeing the kids have a great time,” he said. “I love seeing them work hard and learning about the kids’ abilities.” Shows of Murder By Indecision are on Saturday, Oct. 21 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 22 at 2 p.m. in the Ames High Auditorium. Tickets are $3 for students, $5 for adults, and free with the presentation of an activity pass. Surely, the fall play is not an event you want to miss. “Everyone should come to the play because it is interesting and fun,” Bergman. “It offers a new spin on plays.”