Competing at the 2020-2021 Michigan Interscholastic Forensic Association competition Troupe 33 takes third place with their performance of Tracks by Peter Tarsi.

With five performances a year, two of which are competitions. The longstanding program is currently led by theater director and drama teacher Cheryl Jackson. In May, there will be a “Night of Entertainment” according to Jackson which will feature members of the theater, band and choir programs.

“Theatre helps students gain confidence and poise, along with learning to tell a story using a team approach,” Cheryl Jackson, drama teacher, said. “They learn lifelong interpersonal communication skills, technical skills if they work on the tech teams, and gain a sense of belonging with people who enjoy the same thing that they are passionate about,” Jackson said.

Valentina Youssif ’21 said she is proud about the theater and how much everyone has grown while still having fun.

“The days where people watch our show and love it, and we know that all the hard work we put in was all worth it,” Youssif said. “I have a lot of theater memories, but my favorite are the rehearsals after school every day. We would have so much fun with the troupe messing around, but still getting our work done and getting to know each other. I also love the rush I feel on show days. Knowing that all the hard work we put in was all worth it and people can finally enjoy everything that we put into the show.”

Drama classes provide a place where students can grow and thrive Jackson added. She admits that Covid has hit the program hard, but they are up to the challenges and acknowledges that recruiting and re-building will be on the horizon.

“These students have persevered during a time like no others and created theatre when many schools threw up their hands and just gave up,” Jackson said. “They worked through the difficulties, learned computer programs to edit our Fall show, used creativity to solve problems, and actually place in all three of the MIFA competitions – 1st place in Districts, 2nd place at Regionals and 3rd place at States.  I am extremely proud of these students for all of their determination to have this year’s theatre happen, no matter the pandemic’s limitations.”

One thing that will keep people coming back is how theater provides a judgement free zone for students to explore their interests and personalities according to Sophia Yabut ’21.

“What makes me most proud about theater is all the teamwork that goes into it, and how the hard work and effort from everyone all matters when making a show,” Yabut said. “If someone is considering joining theater, I would say join it for sure. It is a great environment to make friends during high school and a way to put yourself out there. You can learn a lot of new things about yourself and see how far your potential and talent can reach. There is something for everyone to do, like act, do tech or both. The possibilities are endless.”