Every fall I look forward to greeting the freshmen at our auditions for the high school musical. Anyone who wants to be involved is welcome and it is part of our ritual to have a few seniors talk to the newcomers about the role that the drama community has played in defining their high school experience. Phrases including “my home, my family, and a safe place” are frequently spoken in those moments. When that safe haven was taken away on March 10, 2020, two days before the scheduled opening performance of our winter play, I watched as students began the grieving process of losing the safety net they had become so dependent upon, just when it was needed the most.
Most of my students participate in our productions all four years of high school and those who start in their sophomore and junior years inevitably express regret at not being involved earlier. This is not an experience that is measured by test scores, curriculum completion, or any other metric resulting in data that confirms that the pandemic has been detrimental to student growth and yet I have witnessed the impact it has had on my kids. Not only was the opportunity for creativity, self-exploration, and emotional growth lost, but the camaraderie that comes from working together towards a common goal where the ultimate prize is accomplishment and ownership was ripped away, leaving many of my students feeling detached and lonely. It was heart wrenching to watch and honestly there wasn’t much I could do about it except hope that it would end soon.
Music Theater International, the licensing organization for many of the top Broadway musicals, generously announced late spring that they were offering a “Celebration of Song” entitled “All Together Now!”, free of charge, to schools and community theater groups impacted by the pandemic. The only stipulation was that the performances had to fall between November 12th and 15th. Isaac Brody, the musical director, and I decided this was the show for us. It would provide solo opportunities with songs like I Dreamed a Dream (Les Miserables), Take a Chance on Me (Mamma Mia) and Gimme, Gimme (Thoroughly Modern Millie) as well as popular ensemble numbers such as Be Our Guest (Beauty and the Beast), Seize the Day (Newsies), We’re All in this Together (High School Musical) and You Can’t Stop the Beat (Hairspray). We made the announcement last spring and did the best we could to prepare over the summer.
When we had our first rehearsal in early September I was meeting the freshman and sophomore participants for the first time. The juniors and seniors, who had watched eighteen months of potential theater experiences slip away, were frothing at the bit to restart their creative energy. I was encouraged. Now, six weeks into the rehearsal process, I am starting to get really excited. While we are all still wearing masks while dancing and singing, there is a rebirth occurring right before my eyes. Kids are laughing, making mistakes, correcting them, rehearsing in the halls, and forming new friendships. The tech room, which was locked all of last year, is once again open, kids painting sets and organizing supplies. And after twenty months of being dark, the Hopkinton High School Drama Ensemble will be back, hopefully singing and dancing their way into the hearts of a grateful audience. I know I will be at the back of the house opening night feeling blessed that I can witness one more time the wondrous things that happen when kids work together to create something they feel proud of.
Valerie von Rosenvinge, Director
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