ESCANABA — The Escanaba High School Fine Arts Department is preparing for a musical that opens to the public Friday with its first performance at 7:30 p.m. Subsequent shows will be at the same time on Nov. 22, 24 and 25, along with a Sunday matinee at 2 p.m. Nov. 23. Tickets are on sale now.

The musical “Between The Lines” is based on a book by Jodi Picoult. In Escanaba, 34 students in ninth through 12th grades have been rehearsing multiple days a week since early September, ramping up frequency as opening night draws nearer.

The story centers around a teenage character named Delilah, who struggles with a number of issues in her personal life and at a new school before finding a way to escape through the pages of a fairy tale.

When asked what audiences may look forward to in “Between the Lines,” 12th-grader Abraham Campbell, who plays Prince Oliver, said the show has heart as well as humor.

“It is funny, but there’s also a lot of very tender moments,” Campbell said. “And I’d say there’s a lot of emotional value that can be extracted from it.”

Noting that “Between the Lines” is the school’s 61st musical production, Director Mark Ammel said participating is a “cool” opportunity for students.

“Students do the costumes; the students do the lighting … It’s a largely student-run production,” Ammel said. “And we’re really proud of being able to put on full-scale shows with a high school.”

Tickets are available in the high school main office during school hours, at the auditorium ticket booth during rehearsal hours and at Bobaloon’s Cafe during business hours.