The Middle School Theatre students at MoCo Arts are all buzzing around getting ready for their upcoming performance of School Daze– a play which (ironically) is all about middle school. You remember middle school. That first day can be a funhouse or a hall of horrors. Will I fit in or be left behind? Did I wear the right clothes? How will I find the right class? Why do those eighth graders look so big…
This light-hearted play explores the various perspectives of all the stereotypical pre-teen personalities you remember from your own middle school experience. Hear from the Bully who’s really a coward as all bullies are, the Big Kid who’s proud of his Evil Laugh, the Backward Boy who just misses recess, and the Positive Girl who always sees the glass as half-full. Everyone will find something they relate to in this humorous and familiar look at life as a middle schooler.
The Theatre Program at MoCo Arts offers opportunities for students from 2nd through 12th grade to explore the performing arts in an inclusive, nurturing atmosphere where they’ll learn invaluable life skills such as teamwork, cooperation and effective communication that will stick with them long after the curtain closes. Children as young as 4 years can participate in Storytime Theatre, a musical theatre class which features acting, singing, dancing, costumes and sets. All of the theatre classes at MoCo culminate in a fully produced performance with every child cast in a role and encouraged to work together and to support each other. And this year, there are more opportunities than ever before for students to participate in theatre at MoCo. The program has more than tripled in size and now offers both musical theatre and straight play classes to three different age groups – High School (grades 9-12), Middle School (grades 6-8) and Elementary School (grades 2-5.)
Laura Carbonneau, MoCo Alum and Director of MoCo’s Middle School Play is excited about this production, and even more so about the fact that Middle Schoolers now have their own performances at MoCo this year. “There are a couple of kids in particular who have had just an ensemble part in the past and this year, with the new structure of the theatre program at MoCo they really have the opportunity to shine. The amount of growth they’ve had since the fall semester has been unreal.”
She goes on to tell us a little bit about her method of teaching, and how she tries to provide a truly immersive experience for her students. “The really cool part about the show we’re working on now is that it’s all about middle school, so it’s super relatable for them. I’m involving them in the production process, letting them choose their own costumes and the props they want to use and getting them to think about it as a whole.” Judging by the smiles on their faces and the stellar performances they’ve been putting out there, the students are definitely responding.
Yes, it’s commonly accepted that middle school is the tricky tightrope between being a kid and being a teenager. How did you fare? Did you fall off the tightrope? Did you hold on? See the characters in School Daze try to keep their balance on the first day of middle school.
MoCo Arts Middle School Play, School Daze, will be performed in The Founder’s Theatre at MoCo Arts, 40 Roxbury Street in Keene on Sunday, April 14th with performances at 1pm and 4pm.The play will be performed by MoCo Arts students 6th– 8thgrade. Tickets are $12 for general admission and can be purchased at MoCo Arts, 40 Roxbury Street in Keene, or by calling (603) 357-2100. Stop by or give us a call to reserve your seats today!
