A Midsummer Night’s Virtual Reality (2005)
Review by a parent : Barbara TRUDEAU
The Tradition of Drama at Sèvres
As I eagerly settled into my seat for the Wednesday night dress rehearsal of the annual SIS theatrical production I was reminded of my early enquiries about the SIS four years previously, when my son was still in CM 2. I recalled walking into the SIS semi-underground office and meeting Pat Morgenroth for the first time. As I scanned her office it was the SIS play posters, prominently displayed around the upper reaches of the office, that caught my eye. In particular, a poster for “The Canterbury Tales” sparked our conversation about the part that an annual theatrical production played in the life of the English section. This commitment to enhancing the creative, affective side of a student’s personality interested me immediately. Academic excellence was on my “list” of priorities, but so was an emphasis on co-curricular experiences which would enhance my son’s education, as well as stimulate his-and his classmates’-multiple intelligences.
My son’s last four years at the SIS at the college level have not belied this initial impression. From sixieme English class drama productions with Vicki Salmon, to an evening of theatre which included the Russian play “The Stupid Judge” and excepts from Shakespeare, through the cleverly revamped version of the Odyssey, to this year’s Midsummer Night’s Virtual Reality there has consistently been an emphasis on the part that acting and theatre production plays in a well-rounded educational experience. As a teacher with many years of experience in the classroom, I am heartened and reassured by the obvious SIS commitment to stimulating student achievement (and pleasure!) in music and theatrical production. This year’s play choice was certainly no exception, though I regretted that I had not read Shakespeare in a very long time. I quickly realized that I needed an “update” on A Midsummer Night’s Dream in order to fully appreciate the complexities-and humor-that Shakespeare intended the audience to experience.
Thankfully, by the Friday night, having read an efficient summary of the play’s main themes and personalities provided by Penny Rosenfeld, I was ready to view the final version of this ambitious and sparkling play. And what a pleasure it was, on many levels. Armed with a better understanding of the plot and many sub-plots, I was able to appreciate the students’ interpretations of their characters, both modern and classical. As the play unfolded I was struck by their obvious pleasure, and the inspiration they were deriving from their characters’ personalities. Perhaps just as importantly, they were “interpreting” Shakespeare, employing a creativity and spontaneity that exemplified the highest levels of learning to which language teachers aspire. Shakespeare was fun and inspiring! What a pleasure it must have been, I thought, for their teachers to watch this evolution coming to fruition in such a joyous and ebullient theatrical production. What a satisfying evening of interaction it was between audience, players, and production staff. This was truly a confirmation of those early inklings I had had four years before that this was the “right” kind of school for my son.
I left the SEL that night deeply appreciative of the high level of teacher talent and commitment which suffuses the English program at the SIS. This is its uniqueness and its strength, and I am grateful that my child will be a product of the kind of multi-faceted educational program the SIS both endorses and delivers.
Barbara TRUDEAU
Dernière modification le 19-05-06 par
