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• Photo by Robi Arce

The students at Dell'Arte International School of Physical Theatre have been digging deep for the strongest emotions and gut-wrenching moments. Sound a bit over the top? Intense? That's melodrama. And it's on display this weekend in Blue Lake.

Dell'Arte's first year ensemble leaves it all on the stage during Blood and Thunder: Melodrama Lives from Thursday, March 17 to Saturday, March 19 at 8 p.m. in the Carlo Theatre (donation). The presentation is the culmination of five weeks of study with Dell'Arte master teachers Lauren Wilson, Michael Fields and James Peck, and guest teacher Evamarii Johnson. For Blood and Thunder, students created original short plays examining the highs and lows of being in the throes of love and hatred, loyalty and jealousy, hope and revenge, tyranny and cruelty. Heightened by music and the use of exaggeration or hyperbole, the stories show how the human spirit confronts, lives with and ultimately triumphs over adversity. See how it all plays out this weekend. Don't let cash keep you away — it's pay what you can. These kids understand the struggle is real.