Student Leadership
Providing students the opportunity to take the helm of their own learning
All My Sons by Arthur Miller. Fall 2015.
During World War II Joe Keller and Herbert Deever ran a machine shop that made airplane parts for military planes. Deever went to jail for sending defective parts out of the shop, causing the deaths of hundreds of American soldiers. Keller was exonerated and built a life for himself and his family. These parallel stories pick up early one August morning and sets the wheels in motion for the action of the play that ultimately unearths devastating truths long-buried by Keller and his wife. Our cast created a pre and post-show dramaturgical study guide for the grade 11 English faculty who used it to teach the play to all grade 11 students as part of their unit on United States history and literature. The study guide included discussion questions, writing prompts, historical information, Arthur Miller’s biography, and theatre games.
Set and Lighting Design by Charles P. Raffetto. Costume Design by Ilene Goldstein. Photo Credit: Joanna Chattman.
Sophocles’ Antigone, adapted by the Company. Fall 2020.
Antigone takes place in the aftermath of the civil war in Thebes, when the sons of Oedipus fought to the death for control of their city. After their uncle Creon ascends to the throne he refuses to bury the traitor Polyneices but his sister, Antigone, stands up to Creon’s tyranny by not only burying Polyneices, but proudly admitting it to Creon. Written in 441 B.C.E., Antigone is Sophocles’ look at the power of love over tyranny and the paralysing effect of fear. Our student assistant director used their knowledge of Anne Bogart’s Viewpoints, Laban Movement Qualities, Moment Work, and their own burgeoning point of view as a director to create movement sequences within the choral odes that added humanity to the chorus, shed light on Antigone’s connection to her brothers, and highlighted the devastating despair following Antigone’s death. Our first production after COVID lockdown required masking and social distancing, making the task of creating movement sequences all the more difficult. This provided new opportunities for our assistant director who helped the actors bring the story to life. It was truly incredible to witness.
Set and Lighting Design by Charles P. Raffetto. Costume Design by Ashley Tyler. Photo Credit: Joanna Chattman.
Peter and the Starcatcher, a play by Rick Ellice. Music by Wayne Barker. Based on the novel by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson. Spring 2017.
Peter and the Starcatcher follows the adventures of a nameless orphan and his new-found friend Molly Aster as they keep a secret treasure safe and out of the hands of the pirate-villain Black Stache. Set on the high seas and a remote island, Peter and the Starcatcher takes its audiences on a magical adventure as we meet lords, orphans, mermaids, sea creatures, and pirates. Our student choreographer, who was about to go to university to study musical theatre, brought to life the feeling of being on the high seas by using theatre magic at its best.
Set and Lighting Design by Charles P. Raffetto. Costume Design by Ashley Tyler. Photo Credit: Joanna Chattman.