Templeton High School Drama launches 2021-22 season
THS Drama Boosters beginning annual sponsorship drive this week
–Like everyone else in the last 18 months or so, Templeton High School drama students have had to make a lot of adjustments to how they’ve done things in the past. The old adage, “The show must go on,” has been given new meaning for them today.
Despite all the challenges, THS drama students put on two productions last year. Pride and Prejudice was recorded outdoors as a video-only production, and Young Frankenstein was performed outdoors to live audiences. The usual rehearsal time was cut in half and only half of that rehearsal time was actually in-person, the rest was on Zoom. The challenges of singing through masks, rehearsing outdoors in all kinds of weather and settings, dealing with wind and sun in their eyes during performances, all were opportunities to learn to adapt and keep things moving forward in classic theatre fashion.
The THS Theatre Arts program is planning on producing two more shows this year: Our Town in November 2021, and Sugar in March 2022. Knowing that everything is subject to change, and that it’s impossible to predict how things will be in a few months, is no deterrent for these students, or their director, Catherine Kingsubry.
Katelann Harms performed in both shows last year. “Last year provided a lot of rewards-even though it was hard,” said Harms. “I got to learn how to perform on film as well as in an outside venue and I think those skills are extremely important and beneficial. Last year’s shows challenged our comfort zone a bit. The struggles like weather, the actual distance restrictions and masks as well as the configuration of the behind the scenes aspects. Short rehearsal and bonding time was also difficult but I would not change a thing because we produced some amazing shows last year.”
Kingsbury is proud of how well the students responded to all the uncertainties and changes. “Although the process and journey of putting on shows last year was definitely different and challenging in new ways, the sheer joy of the students returning, to work and create with their friends, to express their talents and passions together, and to share that all with a live audience was worth the hard work and effort to make it happen. And, we’ll be ready to find a way to do it again this year!”
To help support the Theatre Arts program at Templeton High School, the THS Drama Boosters are beginning their annual sponsorship drive this week.
Vicki van den Eikhof founded the THS Drama Boosters in 2014 and has been an officer since its inception. “Our sponsors allow the Drama Boosters to fund things like sets, costumes, props, field trips, scholarships, technology, and other things that directly benefit the students,” she says, “We also help pay for supplies, like microphone covers, batteries, rolling costume racks, and other needs. Most of these things aren’t paid for by the school budget, but are key to keeping our program among the best public high school theatre arts departments in California. We have an amazing theatre on campus that has an equally amazing theatre arts program.”
Members of the public can help ensure that the show not only goes on, but that local drama students thrive in their arts education. To become a sponsor, visit their website at templetondrama.org and click on the “Donate” tab.
