By Tabitha Redder/managing editor

Theatre Northwest cheers its way to its final production of the semester, adequately named Be Aggressive.

Though pom-poms are part of the prop list, director J. Brent Alford said the play isn’t about cheerleading.

“It’s about grief and about adjusting to changes in life as they’re thrown at you, how we adapt and how we move on regardless of what age you are,” he said. “Cheerleading is really just the metaphorical frame the play is set in.”

Alford praised the playwright, Amy Weisman, and said the script is appropriate for a youthful audience.

“Amy Weisman is a young, fresh voice in the American theater who has proven to be very successful at capturing the youthful voice of 21st century teens,” he said.

Be Aggressive is about a girl trying to address the death of her mother who was killed unexpectedly in a car wreck.

“Now she’s running away from it but finally embraces it and how it affects the relationship between she and her sister and how it affects the relationship between she and her father, why she abandons it all and kind of goes on this Thelma and Louise road trip with this other girl trying to find answers,” Alford said.

NW student Morgan Mizell, who plays Leslie in the production, said the two main characters, Laura and Leslie, are nothing alike.

“They’re kind of outsiders, and that’s how they bond, but they’re entirely different people,” she said. “Leslie is really gung-ho, and she’s got a lot of spirit and intensity, and Laura is kind of meek. The story is really interesting because it’s these two girls who are exact opposites, and they come together for cheer’s sake.”

Like most productions, the student actors will gain experience, but this play has a unique cast. A top actor from the Fort Worth Academy of Fine Arts and two former TCC students who have successful acting careers in the DFW area will participate in the play in addition to Theatre Northwest actors.

“It’s really interesting. You get to see how professionals do it and how they work and how long it takes them to do their thing,” said NW student McKenzie Morrow, who plays Laura.

Though the setting is in high school, cast members say viewers won’t have trouble connecting with the story because it’s relatable.

“I think a lot of problems that are touched on in the show, like not fitting in or the loss of a loved one, those are things people of all ages can relate to,” Mizell said.

Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. with a 2 p.m. matinee Dec. 7 in Theatre Northwest (WTLO 1108). The production has strong language and adult content.

General admission is $6, $3 for non-TCC students and senior citizens and free for TCC students, faculty and staff. To make reservations or purchase tickets, call the box office at 817-515-7724.