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As with any show, particularly in many comedies, important issues are often addressed through humor. We are invited to laugh, reflect, and shift our thinking. Comedy gives us lightness to poke fun at serious matters, while simultaneously recognizing our part in changing how we behave to create the positive future we want to see.

Stagecraft students were tasked with creating the lobby display, much like they would if they were the Dramaturg on the show. A dramaturg is a theatre historian who researches references in any script, and brings those historical references and content back to the cast and crew to help them understand the story better.

In this case, we looked at the setting in Illinois in 2018 and the many high school themes explored in the show. Different stagecraft students chose among the topics we identified in the script, created a slide of information to share with you our patrons, and encourage you to understand some of the things teens are going through while in high school.

Important issues students are addressing

• Africa: Maasai, Kenya, and Mt. Kilimanjaro; including current dispute between Marriot v. Maasai over the Great Migration — impact of colonialism and capitalism on wildlife and human life intersections
• Modern feminism
• Anti-bullying; how to be an upstander
• Positive self-identity; standing up for yourself
• Importance of LGBTQIA2S+ support and Trans Awareness
• Math competitions in HS
• Why fat-shaming and body-shaming are harmful; how to stop it
• Social Media ethics
• Addiction and recovery services for teens
• Cell phone bans in schools; cell phone addiction in teens
• History of memes
• Underage drinking statistics; prevention and support services
• Consent; body autonomy
• Sexism, misogyny
• History of "Royalty" in HSs (homecoming, promenade, Rose Fest in PDX)
• Illinois 2018-2019 fashion
• Beauty standards; toxic vs. positive
• American excess; ways to curb consumption
• HS cliques
• Eating disorders in teens; how to protect self and prevent them

We hope you learn something from our lobby display, as well as from the show itself, through serious and laughable moments.

What did you learn from our display and the show? Write notes to yourself below about something you took away from our students educating you, our beloved patrons.