February Storyteller: Theater Week - Education at its Finest
- Merry Sorrells
- Feb 26
- 6 min read
Hi, Friends!
So glad you're here.
An item on my bucket list is to participate on stage in a community play. I don’t want a starring role; just a background part would satisfy that desire. I haven’t participated in a play since my debut in Pirates of Penzance in middle school. I was in the chorus of that famed Gilbert and Sullivan production and loved the feeling of being in a troupe. Singing in the chorus had me feeling excitedly nervous, without the pressure of memorizing lines and exposing my insecurities. Here's the hook…as someone who doesn’t identify as having a creative side, being on stage in a play provided me a creative “home” in a diverse, community-centered family. I could sing and move in harmony with others without risking too much or having to be too much of an “artist.” My desire to participate in another stage play was intensified this past January, and here’s why…
Each year, in Principia’s middle school, we begin our 2nd semester with an event called Theater Week. It's really quite remarkable. Theater week is a week of school (8 days, actually) devoted to producing and performing a full and robust musical from scratch. Every student and teacher has a role, whether on stage or behind the scenes. This January, our efforts were focused on the stage play, Mary Poppins, Jr.
When I first heard about Principia School’s Theater Week, I entertained the thought that, rather than the entire middle school having a week away from academics, the play should have been an after-school activity, as it is in most schools. Instead, what I found was that the design and execution of Theater Week make it highly academic. In fact, I discovered that participating in a middle school musical with a format such as Principia’s, is one of the most powerful academic experiences a student can have. Whether dancing, singing, appearing on stage, working behind the scenes, drafting and designing playbills, planning and executing a pre-event, learning the history of Edwardian London, or of the actions of the suffragettes, running sound, lighting, the curtain, or creating the set and costumes, the students have experiences that exercise their skills in literacy, math, history, collaboration, executive function, creative problem-solving, and many more. These skills are wrapped in joy, rigor, and performance. Each day of the eight days intentionally began with a spiritual message to set the tone for the students and give them inspiration to hang on to throughout the day. It was a magical week with an outstanding, beautifully satisfying outcome. It was educational art at its finest.
My most poignant memory of a stage play was at one of my former upper schools, and the performance was Biloxi Blues, presented in a dinner theater setting on the auditorium stage. The theater was transformed into an intimate gathering place. Audience members were seated at café-style tables on the stage itself, surrounding the performance area and becoming part of the world of the play. Set in 1943, during WWII, the action of the play takes place at an Army Boot Camp in Biloxi, MS.
We had a very talented director who wanted the players to understand the historical perspective and the nuances of a boot camp setting in WWII. Ultimately, he wanted them to experience the transition these young soldiers made from adolescence to adulthood through a journey marked by courage, growth, and self-discovery. To accomplish this, he visited the local American Legion Post to enlist some of the veterans to participate in a number of the rehearsals. On any given day, you could pop into the auditorium and see former U.S. soldiers recreating, in real time, their life experiences at Boot Camp. They represented different wars and conflicts, and different experiences. One of them would have our boys doing one-armed pushups, while another would be shouting in their faces like the toughest of tough drill sergeants. Each of the veterans did their best to help these students understand the trauma and triumphs that they survived while serving in the military.
One veteran stood out to all of us. His sense of dignity, his quiet demeanor, and the way he held his shoulders suggested that his life had been deeply impacted by the war. He was a WWII veteran, older than the others, wiser and more weathered. When the rehearsals were finished and the nights of the performances arrived, the stage was set with a special table reserved for the vets and their families. At the end of each performance, the veteran attending was invited to sit center stage and take questions from the audience.
On the last night, our WWII veteran and his daughter attended. I sat across the stage from them and silently observed. When he took center stage, he shed his shyness and opened up to the audience. I wouldn’t describe him as animated, but he gave a clear, unembellished accounting of his wartime experiences. The audience listened quietly, respectfully, and fully engaged. It was a priceless finale to an amazing experience for the players, the audience, and all in attendance that night.
The next morning, our director received a call from the daughter of our veteran. She thanked us profusely for inviting her father to be a part of the play. Never before had he spoken about the War, not to her, or anyone outside of his friends at the American Legion Hall
That night, she saw a side of her father that she hadn’t seen before and heard stories that he carried deep inside him. That same night, he went home and passed on, peacefully in his sleep. It was as if he had been waiting to share his story and shed the weight he had been carrying.
Our director and all the students associated with the theater dressed in their best and attended his funeral together. His family was overcome with gratitude to these students for understanding and respecting his legacy and giving him a reason to share it. I can’t imagine a better life lesson for these young men, or a better forum for this story.
Schools can turn quiet curiosity into conviction, uncertainty into purpose and direction, and through experiences such as those described above, they can teach students to listen with loving attention and to care deeply for one another. Schools shape not just what students know but who they are becoming.
I’ll be sure to let you know if I end up checking community theater off my bucket list!
Until next time, please like, follow, and share Storyteller and help our community of friends continue to grow.
All my best,
Merry
Listen to the latest Storyteller LIVE featuring special guest Connie Uddo. In this episode, Connie and I delve into the significant impact Hurricane Katrina had on New Orleans its community rebuilding efforts. During our discussion, Connie shares her transformation from an "ordinary life" to becoming a community hero.
In the 20 years since Katrina, Connie has led more than 250,000 volunteers and thousands of volunteer groups from all over the world as the Executive Director of the St. Paul's Homecoming Center and the NOLA Tree Project. Two organizations that have literally changed the landscape in Lakeview, New Orleans and throughout the region.
Our discussion also addresses something that continually crosses my mind: the distinction between volunteering and meaningful service. This conversation marks my seventh episode, and I think it might be my best yet! I hope you will tune in. You'll be glad you did.
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The spring semester has arrived, which means my time at Principia is coming to an end. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time there, but I am excited to move back home. When I return, my focus will shift to full-time writing, coaching school leaders, and joining groups and conventions as a keynote speaker. An exciting new chapter awaits. I look forward to sharing more. In the meantime, please reach out if you'd like to discuss how we might collaborate.
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