Notes from the Director: It was such an incredible year. We went from having no theater to having three sections of Intro to Theater. Then, suddenly, a Theater Club starts on campus. Within a month or two, the club decided to do a play, selected this particular one, held auditions, and cast the parts. Within days, students were memorizing lines and designing everything from the look and feel of the set to hair, makeup, and costumes. The community responded so warmly to all that was going on and the next thing you know, we have PVC pipes, a bunch of 2x4s, makeup kits, hair curlers, and so many many more things that are going to continue to help Theater Club over the next several years. The speed at which everything came together felt so forceful, so planned, and so scary. Sometimes all the right pieces just fall into place at the right time, and it feels silly to suggest that it wasn't anything but meant to be.
I am grateful for all the opportunities that have been presented to me over the year, and I hope that I was able to amplify those opportunities for our students. There will be plenty of more opportunities for our community to get involved in the coming year, and I can't wait to see the Theater program step into Year 2!
I am also very proud of the students who all stepped up greatly to take on the awesome task of putting together this show. So many people contributed in one way or another, and I can't thank everyone enough for all of that.
The relevance of this play in our current global state of affairs is not lost on me. Natural disasters like Hurricane Harvey are getting worse in intensity, more frequent, and hitting more places with each passing year. And, it seems with each year, that people in this country are becoming less tolerant and less understanding of those who seem different from them. This is why I am so proud that our Theater Club chose this particular story for us to tell; one where the characters learn to "rise" above their differences and work together for the benefit of all.
The title of this play, "Rising" seems fitting in so many ways as I contemplate the past year. Thank you for joining us for our first steps!
