Given the setting of Ireland by English/drama teacher Richard Carter and a few traditional Irish tunes by music teacher Ann-Marie Fischer, the Lopez middle and high school drama class was charged with writing, directing and staging a musical production from scratch.

“A Proper Invasion” will be staged by 30 students in the sixth through twelfth grade at the Lopez Community Center at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 21. Admission is free.

The year is 1963. The musical begins in an isolated, traditional Irish village celebrating the engagement of Benjamin and Caitlin, an Irish couple. Caitlin asks for a traditional Irish band (The Propers) to come and play for the wedding. Her father, in a drunken haze, stumbles upon an English band of the same name and invites them to the village to play at the wedding. The British band brings controversial ideas, clothing, hairstyles and music from England to this village that has no cars or telephones.

As the play progresses, Caitlin begins to stray from the traditional life, but her fiancé, Benjamin, prefers to stick strictly to the traditional way of life. When the band comes, there is a conflict between the villagers and the band introducing all of these “new” things. Some of the teenagers in the village adapt quickly to the new styles and music and become groupies, while others resist change. Eventually, Caitlin falls in love with Maxwell, the band’s drummer. Caitlin is faced with the decision of whether or not she wants to leave with Maxwell or marry Benjamin.

The traditional Irish folk songs “The Mermaid,” “Wild Mountain Thyme” and “Mary Mack” are woven in with rock music, written and performed by members of the cast, and dialogue that was written by the students. String teacher Celia Rosenberger is assisting with some of the instrumentals, which will include electric guitar, violin, cello, recorder, drums, marimba and piano.

A fight scene is being staged by cast members with stage combat experience and the dancing has been choreographed by the cast. Costumes are being brought together by students researching 1960s time period clothing, with the assistance of couturier Tracey Cottingham.

“A lot of talented people from our school are performing and the entire thing is very exciting!” said cast member Breton Carter. “We hope it ends up really well. The teachers gave us an Irish theme but said that we could do whatever we liked. The show was entirely up to us!”