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Director’s Note

One might think I’m the craziest individual alive. As we enter our second season of theatre at Western, I never once paused to take a break. This past summer—while designing a new acting class, planning a new-to-me personal finance class, and revising my Intro to Computer Science course to meet new state standards—I also spent four weeks in our costume closet and scene shop cleaning, organizing, and preparing. We have four, potentially five or six productions planned this year. As soon as this show closes, auditions for our competition piece begin.

So why would anyone do all this? The answer is simple: the students of Western give me the reason.

Theatre at Western has grown beyond anything I could have imagined. Students are hearing about the opportunities and coming from all directions to participate. This spring, for example, they’ll have the chance to take the BackStage Exam to become certified stage crew members, try new theatrical ventures, and experience theatre at every level.

This cast had just five weeks to prepare for tonight’s performance. I could not be prouder. They bonded, built characters, and brought this show to life faster than any group I’ve ever worked with. They’ve taken ownership of the drama club, and raised the bar for future productions.

Next up is our regional competition where we’ll present The Price by Don Zolidis in November. Several cast members are already helping to interpret the script and design production elements—some even “claiming” their roles before auditions (though I haven’t had the heart to tell them I do the casting!).

They’re also excited about our Spring Musical. We haven’t even received the music and scripts yet, and I already know every song by heart thanks to their enthusiasm.

Perhaps our most exciting news is the launch of a summer theatre camp for elementary students, June 14–18. More details will come, but an elephant stays true to his word, no matter the cost.

There’s far more happening in the Western theatre program than I can fit on this page. Be sure to sign up for our newsletter by scanning the QR code in this playbill to stay up to date.

For now, let me close by saying it’s an honor to work with the best students in the world. Tonight’s performance of these two wacky stories on one stage will leave you fully entertained. Please tell everyone you know how wonderful they are—and come back this spring to see them in The Lightning Thief: A Percy Jackson Musical.

 Mr. Putt