playbill vip

“The pen is mightier than the sword…”

– Edward Bulwer-Lytton

What an amazing year it has been for our Paschal Theatre Vagabonds as we have brought books to life on stage! Sally Cotter reminds us of the importance of our dreams and imagination. We entered the memory of Jo March as she taught us that it is the stories written by and about us that allow us to live forever, and Buddy the Elf reminded us that being ourselves and spreading cheer are achievements worth writing a book about. The spring brought slightly darker lessons as Mary Shelly and her creations proved to us that monsters come in all shapes and sizes, be they human, creature, vengeance, or words, and Captain Ahab, through his obsessive quest for Moby Dick, warned us of the way our choices affect others. We have been honored to take the might of the pen and display it on our stages.

So how do you wrap up a season like this? Maybe a story where we invite the audience to use their imagination and play pretend with us; one that through the telling of stories, keeps the legends and myths of the Greek gods alive; one about young “half-bloods” trying to accept who they are; a show where the actions of a thoughtless camp counselor and angry god put everyone in danger; a tale of discovering how to defeat our monsters. Welcome to “The Lightning Thief – The Percy Jackson Musical,” where the pen is literally the sword!

Before I sign off, I need to say thank you to a few heroes…

Ms. Benoit – Thank you for co-teaching this class and helping a room full of theatre kids start to understand music.

Mr. Clemmons – Thank you for coming on as the Assistant Director/Choreographer and spending your days off volunteering your time! So glad we have you full time next year!

Ms. Haley Hooper our student director – Thank you for being incredible. You must be descended from Midas because everything you touch turns to gold! The best moments in this show are the ones that you directed, and I am both proud and in awe. It’s never too late to change your major or throw in a theatre minor!

Mr. Cal Rustad – Your knowledge of music and technology and, well, everything has been a gift these last two years. Many times I have felt like we have taken advantage of your talents but your constant smile and repeated “this is what I do for fun in my free time” leads me to hope that we have instead provided you with the chance to find joy! Be ready for a million “help us” phone calls next year!

And finally, my family – we have made it to the end of another year. It takes so much sacrifice to make a theatre program successful and no one knows that more than my beautiful wife and boys. You have graciously accepted the left-over parts of me when I have given most of what I can at school. Just a few more days and we have a summer full of family time, game nights, and you getting every ounce of my attention. I love you to the moon and back… twice!