This production of Into the Woods Jr. is the first high school show that I've ever directed, and it's most certainly true that I "know things now" with more certainty than before! I know that sometimes your students know more than you do, and that their ideas and insights are invaluable! I know that you can be real around them, and that when you are, they will return the favor and be real around you. I know that, just like the middle schoolers I teach each day, and just like all of us, they want to be seen and known.
We (the directorial team) chose to put on a "junior" show this year because of time constraints and the uncertainty of these pandemic times. While I think it was a logical call, it's regrettable that the junior version of the show doesn't include one of my favorite songs from the original--a song aptly titled "No One Is Alone."
This past year has been one of loneliness for many of us--a year of isolation and fear and uncertainty. I hope and believe that this show has helped to combat some of that isolation, fear, and uncertainty for our cast. Whether during a pandemic or not, theatre allows us to find community where we once felt isolation; to find confidence where we once felt fear; to find courage in times of uncertainty; and to brave the uncertainty together, with shared hope.
The most beautiful part of this experience, in my view at least, has been watching our cast and crew members love each other well. When a cast member practiced their solo during a rehearsal, the rest of the cast erupted in applause when it was over, even if they'd watched it ten times that day. When I gave notes after a run-through and praised a specific cast member, everyone cheered for that person with sincere joy. When a student in a shared role had to miss a rehearsal, their "double" taught them what they missed without having to be asked. It was beautiful to behold. These young people are proof that we are not alone--that we can do so much more together.
The end of "No One Is Alone" features these lines:
Hard to see the light now...just don't let it go.
Things will come out right now...we can make it so.
Someone is on your side!
May these words, and this performance, remind you that we are not alone. Thank you for venturing "into the woods" with us!
- Miss Whitman
