Photo by Deb Gau Students perform in True Light Christian School’s annual dinner theater bring to life the different stories of soldiers on both sides of a civil war. Carissa Amicucci plays a wounded soldier being treated by medic Jaelyn Nawrocki.

MARSHALL — The days are counting down to showtime for True Light Christian School’s annual dinner theater — and students have been busy getting ready to perform.

Seventh and eighth grade students were rehearsing their original play, “Fractured Faith, Fractured Fates,” first thing on Tuesday morning. This year’s show looks at a fictional world that is divided by a civil war, as well as a deadly disease that only one side of the conflict can cure.

“The play is about two brothers who are divided in faith, and through the war,” said eighth grade student Sam Meier. The two brothers communicate through letters, and are faced with decisions that could help lead to peace.

In addition to the two brother characters and their family, several of the cast members play troops in the two sides of the war, the Eastern and Western armies.

“I’m a medic, and I have to help the wounded,” said eighth grade student Jaelyn Nawrocki.

“I’m the commander of the East,” said Silas Malone.

Meier said he also plays an Eastern soldier, a sharpshooter.

Preparation for the dinner theater starts in the fall. Meier said students chose the topic for the play, and then split into groups to write the script. Meier and Malone said some of the details of the finished play ended up being a little different than students originally imagined.

“It was supposed to be (set) in the future,” Meier said. “Now it seems more like the past.”

Being part of the play was a fun experience, students said. Besides performing on stage, students also help during dinner service, Nawrocki and Malone said.

The best part of the dinner theater event was getting to see how everything goes on the night of the performance, Meier said.

Performances of “Fractured Faith, Fractured Fates” will be at Thursday and Friday. Dinner begins at 6 p.m., with the play starting at 7:30 p.m.