After weeks of rehearsing, hard work, sweat, and tears, Clemente Wildcat freshman students and upperclass drama students had an exciting experience performing ”Sons of the Prophet” by Stephen Karam. The play took place at the American Theatre Company. Every student had a part in the play, either as an actor or on the production crew. It was a great experience for the students and teachers. The students said that if it were possible in the future, they would love to do it all again.
Some students were nervous or scared at first because it was the first time many of them had to perform in front of an audience. Students had to implement every IB skill their teachers taught them. Some students wouldn’t want to say their part but teachers would give them a talk and say, “You can do it” or “Give it all you got!” All of the confidence the teachers had in the students resulted in the students smiling and trying a little harder. When performance day arrived, students performed in front of their parents and strangers. The thought of missing a line or choking was a challenge they had to overcome, both individually and as an ensemble.
The students practiced deep breathing to calm their nerves and reflected on all of the time and effort they put into this performance. A lot of excitement came from knowing that most students could actually do better than what they believed that they could do throughout this experience. All students enjoyed it because they figured out that deep down inside they have an amazing talent either acting or producing. This was a wonderful experience because it gave our Wildcat students encouragement to do and try out something new. It truly showed the many talents of each and every Wildcat student. The outcome of the final student production was fantastic!
The culminating activity was a fieldtrip to see the professional matinee of the play. Students were impressed and inspired by the professionalism and talent the actors demonstrated. Both students and professional actors had awesome costumes and amazing tone. Facial expressions were realistic, and the chemistry was amazing among the actors. The class of 2017 will help mentor the incoming freshmen during the 2014 -2015 school year as an extension to the learning experience.
