Providence drama students return after winter weather delays flight

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – After an unexpected and extended stay in New York because of a massive winter storm, a group of 17 drama students from Providence School are back home.

They arrived at Jacksonville International Airport Wednesday just before 6, some 24 hours after they were scheduled to arrive.

For Junior Savannah Stewart, the Big Apple's wicked weather might just call for some new boots now that she's back in the sunshine state.

"I'm not sure what happened to them, but snow was probably as high as my boots at times. Walking through the snow was fun. Definitely stomping around," Stewart said. 

The group spent four days attending the Broadway Students Summit, where they took part in a series of workshops aimed at helping aspiring artists hone their craft from some of theater's elite.

"The best part was seeing Phantom, and since we're doing Phantom at our school and I'm playing Madame Giry, Madame Giry signed and wrote me a note on a Playbill and talked to me and gave it to me after the show," said Caroline Everill, a senior at Providence.

With their flight home delayed, the extra day allowed them to break script. They had snowball fights and made snow angels before thinking more about how to apply their newly refined theater skills.

"Learning how to act, learning how to dance and sing in different ways. There's many, many different ways. I can't wait to stay at home and put them to the test and see what works best for me," said James Houck.

Now that the group is home, they said their main focus is getting ready for their next big performance in March, which is the northeast Florida premiere of Phantom Of The Opera.