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A group of friends at W.T. Clarke Middle School read the New York Times Bestseller “The Hunger Games” and became fanatics fans, seeing the movie premiere at midnight and reenacting favorite scenes during birthday parties and sleepovers. Their “obsessive” passion also led to “The Hunger Games The Musical: The Girl on Stage.”

Written by Michaela Vivona, who played Katniss Everdeen, and Melissa Karibian, Michaela also took the initiative to direct the musical with assistance from Deanna Palacio and Tori Kalberer, who later choreographed the dances.

The project, which began in March, led to auditions in Tori’s basement, rehearsals three times a week in alternating residences, scene discussions between science class and at lunch, and prop and costume preparations late into the evening.

“We didn’t think that it was going to happen,” admitted Michaela, “because we’re just kids, we’re just 14, so we thought someone would have a fight and not do it or we wouldn’t be able to get a theater.”

But, after scouring the neighborhood, the cast secured Levittown Hall, and after a last-minute Cato replacement, took to the stage in front of supportive family and friends last Saturday.

The two-act musical featured a couple original ballads by Michaela, while additional songs were inspired by Broadway, Disney and pop tunes that were altered to fit select scenes.

While some readers and moviegoers deemed “The Hunger Games” as violent, the cast found it inspiring. “A lot of people say that it’s bad because it’s mostly about killing children,” said Michaela, “but for us, it’s standing up for what you believe in and knowing that you should do what’s right and not what everyone else does.”

The cast, made up primarily of girls headed to high school in the fall, admitted that it was difficult to remain friends while planning the performance, but were glad their idea came to fruition, and were able to raise $378 for No Kids Hungry: Share Our Strength, a national organization dedicated to confronting hunger head-on. This philanthropic idea was generated after learning “The Hunger Games” cast teamed up with the World Food Programme and Feed America to raise awareness about hunger at a local and international level, said Michelle Vivona, Micheala’s mother who helped the cast secure a dance studio to practice at a week before the show.

The girls in the musical will never agree who is more desirable – Peeta Mellark or Gale Hawthorne – but were delighted to see their hard work play out on stage and hope to share their recreation again.