NATCHEZ &045; By 6:30 Friday night two ordinary high school students will be fully transformed into the ghost, goblin, creature or witch of their choice.

But they won’t be wearing costumes; the changes will all be internal. Their voices will change, their facial expressions will change; they will become their character.

Seniors Ashleigh Irving and Megan Roberts, part of the Natchez High School storytelling troupe, will join three other adults Friday for Ghost Tales at Jefferson College.

The students along with their librarian Sandra Peoples, Eric Glatzer, Susan Bonnette, will gather around a campfire at dusk to spook those brave enough to attend.

Ghost Tales, an annual event around Halloween, is a family oriented event that drew just over a hundred last year.

Both Irving and Roberts have participated in the past.

&uot;It’s a big campfire and the kids just love it,&uot; Roberts said. &uot;When the story gets scary they start scooting in closer and closer.&uot;

The girls pick their own story to tell, something Roberts said won’t be too scary for the kids, and decide which character they want to portray.

&uot;You have to pick a story with a good point-of-view,&uot; Roberts said. &uot;You look for a character to tell the story from. You look for their personality. You have to be that person.&uot;

Though the storytellers don’t necessarily memorize their stories word for word they do learn the details and get comfortable with the plot.

&uot;You become friends with the characters,&uot; Peoples said. &uot;You know what they would say and how they would say it.&uot;

Roberts and Irving said once they pick a story they’ll spend a lot of time reviewing it and preparing to perform.

&uot;It’s going to be great,&uot; Irving said of her story. &uot;I guarantee it. The reaction from the smaller children is great, to see their faces light up.&uot;

Irving and Roberts started storytelling once they got in high school and heard Peoples do a story.

The girls practice and prepare on their own now.

&uot;I would put these two girls up against any adult storytellers,&uot; Peoples said.