Sometimes at the end we’re looking straight out at the audience and you can see tears, people wiping tears and you can hear sniffles, actress Sarah Lewis said. That’s when you know that you’ve accomplished your goal.

Though any number of plays have the capacity to make their audiences cry, Carousel is unique because it began rousing tears from audiences ever since it opened at Broadway’s Majestic Theatre in 1945 where it ran for 890 performances.

Carousel was adapted by the legendary composing duo Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein III from the Hungarian play Liliom.

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It is the story of forbidden love between Julie Jordan, a pretty, young mill worker, and Billy Bigelow, a handsome carousel barker. Carousel is also a paradigm about the pursuit of redemption after Bigelow’s harrowing suicide.

Redemption can be difficult to come by when Bigelow finds his ticket to heaven is put on hold unless he returns to Earth to help his adolescent daughter.

The play features the classic song You’ll Never Walk Alone, which became a source of comfort for those who could relate to Jordan because they were losing loved ones in World War II. The song has since been recorded by such artistically diverse and established artists as Pink Floyd, Frank Sinatra and Louis Armstrong.

Lewis, who plays Jordan’s best friend Carrie Pipperidge, said Carousel is Rodgers and Hammerstein’s favorite musical because of its exquisite music and rich plot.

You just can’t compare to the music and story of Carousel,’ she said. It’s such a beautiful story, and when you combine it with the beautiful music it makes me honored to be doing it.

The cast every night gets goose bumps themselves because it moves you that much.

Lewis, 20, began singing when she was 5, and continued performing through high school and college.

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Carousel is Lewis’ first professional role. She admits that she was a little intimidated at first because she didn’t realize the actual size of the production until the initial cast and crew meeting.

The first time it hit me was the very first day when we were all sitting in a room and there was a model of the set out, she said. They were describing what was going to happen and what the show was going to go through with the set, and I thought to myself, Oh, my god, I’ve never done anything quite like this. This is going to be incredible.’

Shryock Auditorium assistant publicist Melissa Jakubowski said the huge, electrical carousel on stage will make Carousel visually appealing to the crowd.

While some people may be unimpressed by enormous and perplexing theatrics, Jakubowski also said the play’s plot could lure play lovers because of the timeless and meaningful content.

It appeals to so many people because there are a lot of adult themes involved, she said. There’s death and spousal abuse, and you get to see it in a past period and see that people still dealt with that.

For those who will see the elaborate stage and costumes of Carousel, Lewis said they will also be seeing quite a bit of her personality in Pipperidge the character she portrays on stage.

(Pipperidge) sort of lets out the wild, frantic and scattered side of me, she said. She’s really a bundle of energy throughout the show.

Pipperidge may be one of the more lively characters portrayed on stage for Carousel, but Lewis said the performers will be equally electrifying because, to them, every night is opening night.

Every time, we’re playing in a different town to a different crowd, she said. We’ve been doing it for such a long time that no matter when you go out there, you’re automatically giving 110 percent.

Factoid:Carousel Monday, Jan. 26 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20.50/$18.50. Tickets may be charged by phone at (618) 453-ARTS (2787). For information, call (618) 453-3379.