SOUTH OTSELIC – Student thespians, writers, directors, and stage hands are all hoping for a full house Friday and Saturday nights as the Otselic Valley Drama Club brings their adaptations of two well-known short stories and student written monologues to the stage.

Three separate performances are lined up for the Drama Club’s annual fall show, directed by three OV seniors. “The Lottery,” based on author Shirley Jackson’s 1948 short story, tells the brief tale of a small American town that continues an annual ritual of “the lottery.” Hailed as one of the most famous short stories in American literature, “The Lottery” questions traditions and customs that are passed down through generations and whether those traditions ought to continue.

“We always wish we could get a few more days of practice in, but I think my cast is pretty strong and definitely ready for this show,” said OV senior Francesca Cortez, student director of “The Lottery.”

Originally placed in the 1940’s, Cortez took some creative liberties by giving the play a more contemporary setting. “We wanted to make it a little more modern and up to date,” she added. “The biggest challenge has been getting my actors to understand the play. I have a young cast, so some of them had a hard time grasping the meaning of it, and so they had a hard time acting it out at first.”