Plays have been a mainstay each spring at local high schools, but fall productions are becoming more commonplace -- and complex.

This fall, North Hills and Pine-Richland are undertaking productions with unusual aspects that are taking center stage: The costumes in North Hills' production of "M*A*S*H" are authentic uniforms from the Korean War, and the music for Pine-Richland's presentation was written by a senior at the school.

Student actors at North Hills will be in authentic dress thanks to the Veterans Memorial Museum in Huntsville, Ala. The students were impressed to have actual uniforms from the Korean War.

"You couldn't believe the looks on the kids' faces," said theater teacher Kathleen Pozar, the play's assistant director. "I think it made history come alive."

This is the first time the museum has loaned its uniforms to a school, and its officials were "so ecstatic" to see the students' interest, Ms. Pozar said.

The play "M*A*S*H," written by Tim Kelly, tells the story of the fictional 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital during the Korean War. It is based on the book written by Richard Hooker, which also was made into a movie and a television series.

The school worked with the museum through Ms. Pozar's brother-in-law, Johnie Keeter, who is active with the all-volunteer museum in Huntsville. Her brother-in-law and sister culled through uniforms from the Korean and Vietnam wars to send a batch to the school.

Ms. Poszar said her brother-in-law was so excited about the students using the uniforms that, as a surprise for the student actors, he and his wife made dog tags for them bearing the students' names and the names of their characters.

Senior Troy Beaubry, who plays Trapper John, said switching from jeans to wearing the uniforms for rehearsals "makes a world of difference."

Before working on the play, Troy said, he was only slightly familiar with the "M*A*S*H" story through the television series.

"It's a cool perspective on war in general," he said, adding that his grandfather was active in the military during the Korean War.

Junior Kirsten Hoover, who plays the part of a nurse, said the play showed how much goes on in a war "behind the scenes." Her grandfather served during the Vietnam War.

Ms. Pozar said they hoped local veterans would attend the play.

The veterans from the museum have been so thrilled to help that one vet lamented to her brother-in-law that it was a shame the play was not being performed in Huntsville, she said.

"They have a helicopter and tank we could use."

"M*A*S*H" will be performed at 8 p.m. today through Saturday in North Hills Senior High School's auditorium at 53 Rochester Road, Ross. General admission is $6 for adults and $3 for students and senior citizens. Tickets will be sold at the door beginning at 7 p.m. A matinee for senior citizens will be performed at 2 p.m. Saturday. Matinee admission is free to district residents 60 years old or older. All others will be charged regular admission.

Geoff King took his inspiration from the masters -- Beethoven and Mozart, to name two -- when he composed music for a play to be performed at his high school.

The Pine-Richland senior composed the score for "Almost, Maine," the first production of the school's new Thespian Society. It is the story of a fictional small town in Maine that is told through vignettes.

" 'Almost, Maine' is a perfect play to score; there are cues for short pieces of music after every scene, and I think that it demands music to fill the short gaps in between each scene and to give the audience time to process what just happened on stage," Geoff said.

He began composing music when he was 11 years old.

"At my [piano] teacher's recital that year, another student named Eric Cunningham played a couple of pieces that he wrote," Geoff said. "They were very good, and seeing him play his own works prompted me to start composing the very next day."

He has played with the Pittsburgh Civic Orchestra, the band Capital Road when it opened for the alternative rock band State Radio, and in chamber groups. He has twice been a finalist in the Pittsburgh Philharmonic's Concerto Competition.

"I've been interested in pursuing music as a career for at least a year or so, and so when I heard last spring that a thespian society was forming, I took the opportunity to ask … if I could write a score of incidental music," Geoff said. "I got the idea itself from the great masters: Mozart, Beethoven, Shostakovich, Prokofiev, Grieg and many others all wrote music for the theater."

The Thespian Society, formed under the direction of teacher John Dolphin, received a $2,000 grant from the Pine-Richland Opportunities Fund, which generates scholarships and teaching grants, to fund the fall play and to bring in professionals to conduct workshops throughout the year. Kohl's Department Stores in Richland and Cranberry each awarded the group $500.

"Once I decided what type of piece to write, then the actual music comes fairly easily," Geoff explained. "Just as in a movie, the music is meant to increase the emotional impact of what audiences see on stage."

"Almost, Maine" will be performed at 7:30 p.m. tomorrow and Sunday in the Pine-Richland High School auditorium, 700 Warrendale Road, Pine. Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for students and senior citizens.

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