WTC presented its annual in-school black performances. These performances showcased the abilities and talents of the performers in a creative and often experimental way. They last thirty-five minutes to show real-life situations and comedies performed by some of our program members. Acting as a canvas allows them to create and express themselves freely and engage with the audience on a student-to-student ratio.
The collection of student-directed plays is an opportunity to showcase the theater students’ leadership, ownership, and student decision-making.
The first play, “I Don’t Want to Talk About It,” was directed by Everlynn Foster. The play was a more serious skit about the challenges of growing up confronted with all the social issues that are involved in it. Crew member Keshaun Mouzon said of the production, “ I feel that everyone had one goal this year and with the help of all of us wanting the same goal complete, we were able to have one hundred percent participation and perform our best.”
The second skit show is a parody named “Jimmy the Antichrist.” Directed by Rem Ferguson, this play revolves around teenagers who struggle to talk to their parents. Ferguson said of the directing experience, “Being a director for the first time was a cool experience. I was able to learn a lot by stepping outside of acting by completely creating a show. It was very rewarding to get to see the show I created to be performed the way I imagined it. All the cast did an amazing job.”
With the use of hyperbole, they communicate in an appropriate tone, with serious conversations, and express their inner thoughts. Sometimes parent reactions are pretty strong and can even result in kids being disowned by their parents because parents are not in agreement with certain decisions.
The last play was the comedy “Jack and Jill, ” directed by Alyssa DuChene. “Jack and Jill” offers a familiar alternative classic story told innovatively. DuChene says of the directing experience, “As a group, we all worked together to make the show happen. It was super collaborative, which was interesting because it was kind of like a melting pot of everybody’s different personalities. TECHNICALLY I was in charge, however, we all contributed something unique and important to that show, which is what made it so much fun to be part of.”
This is a production process for everything they have worked on over the past years such as stage designing. They do this together for composition and directing. When the students are in the role of leaders and designer decisions they apply everything they learned that way. Crew member Basil Valchine mentions, “For Jack and Jill I felt very accomplished with learning all of my lines, they were very long and hard to memorize. I also felt accomplished when as a group we were able to come up with new fun ideas throughout the process.”
These performances are shown annually every year after the play production composition play during the course they do an application process, and everyone makes proposals whether they want to direct, budget, casting requirements, and tech requirements. Then receive the feedback and pick the best two or three.
“I think everyone did an amazing job this year, they have achieved many objectives, I love that they all the roles and difficulties when designing and set and becoming stronger as a team day by day, we ask that more member come be apart of the program it worth it,” says WTC and theater program teacher Michael Clemons.
