DOWAGIAC — Wednesday evening, a group of fresh-faced students from Dowagiac Union Schools stood on a stage cracking jokes as they attempted to solve a murder.

Wednesday and Thursday evenings, Dowagiac’s Youth Theatre Program, featuring Dowagiac middle and high school students, performed “No Body to Murder” by Edith Weiss at the Beckwith Theatre. For the program, area students trained with local directors for two weeks to put on the 20-person show after auditioning through the schools. The program was both free for students to participate in and for attendants to view.

“No Body to Murder” is a mystery-comedy created for young adults that tells the story of aerobics instructor Billie Body’s murder during a power outage. During the play, it is up to an inspector to determine the murderer from the play’s large cast of suspects.

One of the directors of the program, Jack Gannon, said the Youth Theatre Program started a few years ago as a way to promote theatre for the youth of Dowagiac, saying that creative arts, such as theatre, are an important part of children’s education.

“In addition to other activities like sports and clubs and dance and such, theatre is something children need and it is something we are passionate about here at the Beckwith Theatre,” Gannon said. “So, for the kids who want to learn, this is something we feel we need to do.”

Gannon added that he has seen a benefit for the children who have participated in the program.

“We have had tremendous success stories,” he said. “We have had kids who were very unsure and quiet come out of this having blossomed.”

The students who participated in the program agreed, saying that they have enjoyed participating in the program.

“This has been so much fun,” said eighth-grader Athena Butryan, who was participating in the program for the first time. “I’m so nervous, but it’s been so much fun. I’ve learned a lot and I would definitely do this again.”

Seventh-grader Kayden Stokes, who was also participating for the first time, found that Butryan’s feelings echoed her own.

“I’m kind of nervous,” she said. “But I really wanted to try something new, and I feel like I have gotten out of my comfort zone.”

For high schooler Gwen Gullider, her experience was different than the students who were experiencing the program for the first time. After participating in the Youth Theatre Program last year, Guillder found the experience was one that changed her life. Once she got a taste for theatre through the program, Gullider decided to not only continue with the program this summer, but to pursue theatre in her college career.

“I just fell in love with it. … I got so much confidence out of doing this,” she said. “I think that’s really important, so I will keep doing this.”