The Children’s Hour
October 19th through the 23rd
Lillian Hellman’s story is a provocative one about how lies and gossip can destroy the lives of innocent people. The drama is set in an all-girls boarding school run by close friends, Karen Wright and Martha Dobie. In an attempt to discredit the headmistresses after being disciplined, a manipulative student tells her grandmother that the women are having an affair. The accusation proceeds to destroy their careers, relationships and ultimately their lives. Though the play was written in 1934 it continues to be a relevant piece, particularly for high school students at a time when the misuse of social networking sites and bullying is at the forefront of adolescent issues.
A Dream Play
December 14th through the 18th
Written by August Strindberg at the turn of the 20th century, it is considered to have been a precursor to both dramatic expressionism and surrealism. This influential drama follows the story of Agnes, daughter of the Hindu God, Indra, sent to Earth to bear witness to the suffering of mankind. In her search for understanding, she meets a host of characters who split, double and even merge to represent symbolic values such as theology, philosophy, medicine, and law. After experiencing human suffering for herself, Agnes realizes that human beings are to be pitied. Her return to Heaven is like waking from a dream.
Funny Girl
March 27th through April 1st
Directed by Miss Tait, the Spring Musical is open to the entire school so auditions will be held separate from our Theatre Season Auditions. Initial Auditions will be held on November 29th with callbacks on November 30th and 31st. With a book by Isobel Lennart, music by Jule Styne, and lyrics by Bob Merrill, Funny Girl tells the story of Fanny Brice, an aspiring Broadway performer and an average girl struggling to find work in an industry driven by looks. With the help of Eddie, her dance instructor, she lands a leading role and eventually becomes a major star. At the height of her fame she falls for Nick Arnstein, an elusive gambler. Fanny gives up her career to follow Nick, but when the couple runs out of money, she is forced to return to the stage. In the end, Fanny finds herself mixed up in Nick’s shady business ventures and faced with the fact that their love has yielded nothing but trouble.
Informal Showcases
Each grade level will be afforded the opportunity to present class work in evening performances.
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Freshman Showcase April 10
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Sophomore Showcase April 11th
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Junior Showcase April 12th
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There will be a Senior Showcase on May 12th open to both the public and invited industry professionals.
Second Stage
Our completely student run theatre company will present the following performances:
Endgame
November 10th through the 13th
Written by Samuel Beckett, Endgame is an Absurd one-act play. Hamm, an aged master confined to a chair, and his servant Clov, who cannot sit down, keep each other alive with incessant quarelling. There is nothing left outside and the only other human beings present are Hamm’s legless parents Nagg and Nell, who live alongside them in trash cans. It will be directed by Senior Theatre Major Nicole Labadie-Bartz.
Eleemosynary
March 8th through the 11th
By Lee Blessing, examines the delicate relationship of three women: a grandmother, Dorothea, who has sought to exert her independence through strong willed eccentric behavior, Artie, her daughter, who has run from her overpowering mother, and Echo, Artie’s daughter, who is incredibly smart and equally sensitive. After Dorothea, who has raised Echo into her teens, suffers a stroke, Echo is forced to reestablish contact with her mother through extended phone conversations, during which real issues are skirted and the talk is mostly about the precocious Echo’s unparalleled success in a national spelling bee. Directed by senior theatre major, Sienna Metzgar.