Mrs. Doris Goble, Director
DESCENDANTS is a show about grace. Unmerited mercy. Forgiveness that we do not earn or deserve. In the opening scene, Prince Ben announces that rules will be changed. He offers grace to people who have not earned it. He offers forgiveness to those who suffer.
DESCENDANTS is a show about new beginnings in spite of our previous choices. These fictional characters struggle with many of the real emotions that our world has experienced over the past year: disappointment, frustration, isolation, jealousy, sadness. This show reminds us of the incredible joy that comes with forgiveness. We are reminded to embrace new opportunities and find unexpected confidence and friends we never anticipated.
On March 7, 2020, we closed our production of NEWSIES. Little did we know that it would be the final event held on campus. We were lucky. We performed our show; so many schools did not. This fall, many of our actors rehearsed a show that we have yet to perform. We have experienced such a wide range of emotion.
DESCENDANTS reminds us to let go, forgive, move forward, find joy.
I find myself almost shocked to be here, moving forward with this beautiful show. We have not earned this moment, but we will embrace it fully. We have missed live theater. We have missed you. Welcome back!
Mrs. Tabitha DeLong, Music Director
The quote "Music is the universal language of mankind,” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow is my first thought when I think of the role of music in our lives. There is something about music that broadens, deepens, and enriches our personalities and lives, no matter where a person originates. In this show, I have been able to see the student's personalities grow and their friendships deepen as they are harmonizing chords or challenging themselves to sing acapella. Music is the perfect fix in this world of chaos that we find ourselves in. The students have been able to use music to reduce their anxiety and pain, improve their sleep, and enhance their mood, motivation, and memory.
Music can be so enjoyable, but challenging at the same time. These students have worked very hard to perfect these difficult harmonies and to make the characters their own. I am proud of the students rising to the challenge and not giving up when they didn't get the notes right on the first run through. Music can motivate us, challenge us, soothe and relax us, and inspire us. It also helps us to express our feelings, connects us with other people, and makes it possible to share experiences with others. I am privileged to have been able to work with such an incredible team through music and experience how important music is in our lives.
