For months now the Williston theatre faculty have been planning next year’s theatre season. We kept things under wraps so students could focus on our spring production. Now that the bulk of our work for this year is behind us it’s time to get excited about what lies ahead. I’m pretty terrible at keeping secrets so I was thrilled to finally share the news on Thursday to a crowd of eager actors, directors, stage managers, and designers.
And without further ado- here it is! The 2015-2016 Williston Theatre Season!
Fall Play: Euripides’ The Trojan Women
Written in the 5th century B.C.E. during the Peloponnesian War, Euripides’ The Trojan Women depicts the reality of what happens to women and children in conflict zones. The play was written nearly three thousand years ago but tells an eerily modern tale. In conjunction with the production actors will create booklets that educate our community about contemporary refugee crises. We will have talk-backs after each performance to begin a dialogue about what we can do about these conflicts and to discuss the play itself.
Winter Theatre Lab: Fish Out of Water
Student directors will select one-act plays dealing with characters who, in one way or another, don’t quite fit in. Theatre Lab productions will be brought to life by student teams of directors, designers, actors, and stage managers.
Spring Musical: In the Heights. Music and Lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, book by Quiara Alegría Hudes.
With its musical roots in hip-hop and salsa, In the Heights took audiences by storm when it hit Broadway in 2008. It ultimately won the Tony for Best Musical, catapulting its composer, Lin-Manuel Miranda, to fame. In the Heights tells the story of residents in Washington Heights, a neighborhood in Upper Manhattan, as they struggle to make lives for themselves despite poverty, oppression, and gentrification. It’s a beautiful celebration of family, love, and the resilience of the human spirit.
As always, we will close the year with the 8th Grade Shakespeare Project and Senior Projects.