Santa Rosa H.S. students heartbroken; vandals strike play props

SANTA ROSA, Calif. (KTVU) - Inside the theater at Santa Rosa High School, drama students, some dressed in their costumes, continued repairing what vandals damaged and destroyed.

Just days before students were set to perform the fall production of the Greek tragedy, "Trojan Women", vandals struck on Halloween night.

"I was so angry. We worked so hard," said Emma Burgess, one of the stars of the production.

School officials have a SnapChat video showing someone in a costume throwing a spear from the stage, in the early morning hours. The school has given it to police.

The school principal isn't sure if the person in the video is a student at Santa Rosa High or another school.

The vandals apparently broke in through a locked back door, broke part of the set, and damaged the props, a microphone and the lighting board.

"Letting the kids know. That was the hardest part. That was hard to say to the kids someone broke in and all that hard work since August, someone has disregarded how important this is to us," said Vicki Carpenter, the drama teacher and first to discover the vandalism.

"To see someone disrespect all the hard work and love we put into this program was so disheartening and made me so upset," said Burgess.

Many props, including spears, and swords were damaged. They were made by a student.

"I spent 40-60 hours on it. It took a long time and a lot of effort," said Sam Gleason, a junior.

If there is a positive, the school says it's the response it has received from inside and outside the school community.

"The Santa Rosa theater community got into it, our Jr. College, the other high schools. Everyone has offered to help," said Carpenter.

With the help of a parent, the spears and other props are fixed, the auditorium is clean and the set is getting back into shape. And yes, the show will go on.

"We've got two more nights before we open. It's nerve wracking. But I am very excited," said Burgess.

No one has been caught for the vandalism, but if someone is, the drama teacher knows what she'd like to see happen.

"If we do find out who they are we are going to make them sit through all six performances of this tragedy." Carpenter said.

They play is set to open on Friday.