I was just at my daughter’s 8th grade end-of-year play/graduation last night. There are no extravagant expenses on hiring carpenters, drama coaches, etc. I know that for the high school play, which is all 4 classes together, the 12th grade class is told the story and then the girls pick what part of the event they want to work with – play, dance, choir, etc. The girls themselves make up the play, write the lines, choreograph the dances and decide what songs to sing and make up lines of special songs throughout the play. Each group of 12th grade girls gets the girls in 9th, 10th and 11th who want to be in that particular part of the event (girls can be in more than one thing) and then they have to teach them and work with them on their part. So it is the girls working with the girls. They have a great creative outlet that they don’t really have time for during the rest of the school year (although I do not agree with being at school until 11 at night for any reason). Rehearsals are done over a 2-3 week period around end of first semester and the girls in 12th grade are probably busy since Chanukah getting their things ready. It’s really something. No the scenery is not professional, but it is terrific to see them all work together. The 8th grade play is taught by the teachers and maybe one instructor brought from the outside and they do it on the school premises in an open space and, while crowded, is surely enjoyed by all.
Next year will be fun for me – I’ll have one in 12th and one in 9th, so I’ll be lucky if I ever see my daughters.