Fritz Hager, left, as Christopher and Lizzy Tucker, right, as Mrs. Gascoyne during a dress rehearsal of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time at Robert E. Lee High School in Tyler, Texas, on Tuesday, March 27, 2018. (Chelsea Purgahn/Tyler Morning Telegraph)

Students scurry across the stage as a countdown warns them they have only seven minutes to set up their one-act play. With just under five minutes to spare, the stage is barren, except for props and a stuffed dead dog named Wellington.

With “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time,” Robert E. Lee High School theater is blowing its competition out of the water, having already won the UIL 6A Districts 11 and 12 Bi-District Championship.

The play features Fritz Hager III as Christopher, an autistic boy dealing with the death of a neighbor’s dog and the domino effect it has on his life.

In Christopher’s quest to solve the mystery of Wellington’s death, he discovers secrets about his own family and learns to trust himself when others have let him down.

“I was crying when I first read the script,” Hager said.

Hager said he was nervous about taking on the role, because he knew he needed to get it right and convey Christopher as a person and not a caricature.

Cameron Hamlin plays Siobahn, Christopher’s teacher and emotional rock.

“I thought (the show) was beautiful,” Hamlin said. “It’s an amazing script and the author really has a way of bringing the characters to life.”

Hager and Hamlin said they were grateful that Theatre Department head Amy Clemens had given them a chance to dig deep and challenge themselves.

The main cast also features Ethan Rhodes and Berri Harris as Christopher’s parents. Both are given the chance to shine as it becomes apparent their relationship wasn’t as simple as the stories Christopher had been told. The cast tackles raw moments of emotion with deftness and respect.

Clemens expanded the cast size from the 10 originally called for up to 15 actors. Altogether, cast and crew for the play comes out to two dozen students with just 54 minutes to set up, perform and tear down the set on stages where they have never performed.

“The first time I read the play it really spoke to me. It was about the message and the last three lines,” Clemens said. “’Does that mean I can do anything?’”

Clemens said that message was important, in fact it was apparent in everything she does as a teacher.

“As an educator, I deal with that every day,” she said.

Clemens wants her students to take that same lesson to heart as they compete with other schools throughout the state.

The cast and crew will celebrate their recent victory with a special performance at 6 p.m. on Thursday at Robert E. Lee. Tickets are $5.

The march to state continues Saturday with UIL Area competition in Waxahachie.

Twitter: @TMT_Cory

Bi-District honors

All Star Tech – Will Johnson

Honorable Mention Cast – Ben Watters and Lizzie Tucker

All Star Cast – Berri Harris

Best Actor – Fritz Hager