NATCHEZ — On Wednesday night, Cathedral School senior Madison Watts stood her ground at the town scaffold with pride as hateful peers shouted slurs her way.

Cathedral freshman Trey Hand, tormented by the guilt of his responsibility, collapsed from a heart condition of his own emotional doing.

Cathedral senior Caitlin Lofton stayed calm as she helped clear up the situation, making sure every part of the story was told.

The scaffold was on stage, and the students got their emotional queues from a screenplay. But the experience of three students was meaningful and bonding, they said, like many of the youth group activities in which they participate.

The Jefferson Street United Methodist Church Youth Group’s production of “The Scarlet Letter” dinner theater premiered Wednesday night. And the curtain will reveal again the hard work of those students at 6 p.m. today and Sunday, and at 7 p.m. Saturday.

Watts, who plays protagonist Hester Prynne, said acting the part of Prynne reminds her to stay strong in the face of troubles and remain in tune with who she is.

“I think (the role) is very empowering,” Watts said.

Hand, who plays the Rev. Arthur Dimmesdale, said playing the character made him realize how some people can feel pain for others in a such a way he never knew about.

“Dimmesdale is very sensitive, and he suffers in a way (because of it),” Hand said.

According to the story, Dimmesdale secretly fathered Prynne’s child. The bastard child inspired the townspeople to make Prynne wear an “A” as a punishment for the adultery, and she becomes a social outcast.

Lofton, the play’s scene director who narrates on stage, said the seniors in the youth group chose to perform “The Scarlet Letter” because themes of the play resonate with her middle and high school peers.

Lofton said Prynne gets bullied in the play by people who judge her.

“(Bullying), you still see today,” Lofton said.

In the play’s resolution, Lofton said the audience can learn a lesson from the hypocritical shunning by the townspeople.

“(Shunning Prynne) is not right, and in the end you realize it’s not right,” Lofton said.

Lofton, the president of the youth group, has participated in five plays with the Jefferson Street UMC Youth Group. She joined the group the summer after sixth grade and has made some of her closest friends with the group, she said.

While Lofton juggles leading her class as senior class president, secretary of the National Honor Society and other activities, Lofton said she’s always carved out time for youth group.

“We’re like super glue,” Lofton said of her youth group’s bond. “There’s almost nothing that can break (their bond).”

Lofton, Hand and Watts agreed that at youth group, someone’s age, their school or background dissolve, and everyone is a friend.

Though Hand said he’s left football practice early and missed out on a good bit of quality mud ridding these past few weeks for play practice, he remains committed to his youth group family.

“This is such an influential part of my daily life,” Hand said.

Whether it’s spending six hours a day at play practice or crying and laughing together at a retreat, Watts, also a member of the National Honor Society, said there’s something about the friends in youth group that’s different from other friends.

“(Youth group) gives (friendships) a certain connection, and you really get to know people,” Watts said.

“The one thing we don’t do (in youth group) is put downs,” Hand said.

By getting to know each other, it’s difficult to judge, the students said, which drives home the theme of “The Scarlet Letter.”

Trey Hand is the son of Shelton and April Hand, Madison is the daughter of Ronald and Vicki Watts and Caitlin Lofton is the daughter of David and Shannon Lofton.

Along with the production, a dinner of roasted pork loin, green beans, wild rice, dinner roll and cherry cake will be served.

Adult tickets are $15, students $12 and children $8, and a portion of the proceeds will help to fund future youth group events.