playbill vip

From the Director's Desk:

One of the most striking things that sets the Dallastown Performing Arts Club apart from other performing arts groups is that it is an almost entirely student-run production company. Each year the upperclassmen teach the underclassmen what they learned from the upperclassmen before them. While Stephanie and I do everything in our power to help provide the kids with instruction, opportunities, and resources, the show you see is the work of student design, effort, and execution. As such, the kids learn much more than ways to memorize lines or how to handle power tools. They work together day by day, setting goals, drawing up plans, managing their time, and overcoming the many & varied obstacles that pop up along the way in any high school endeavor. We're especially excited this year to also have the opportunity to perform this show at the PA Thespians State Theater Conference January 4th at West Chester University! So, even after this run closes Sunday, our show will go on.

In education circles, a pedagogical approach called Project Based Learning, or PBL, has been lauded for its ability to intrinsically engage students in relevant activities to help them grow. We're often encouraged to manufacture these types of experiences into our classroom plans. There's no more authentic project than producing a play. These students before you have read, defined, analyzed, synthesized, evaluated, revised, and problem-solved their way through this entire process. You see the fruits of their efforts in the acting, lighting & sound, costumes, set pieces, make-up, and advertising, but the real takeaways the kids have gained will follow them throughout the rest of their lives. Theater is often described as magic, but those of us behind the scenes know it is the product of grit, determination, and sometimes exhaustive labor.

Thank you for supporting these amazing students as they pursue the work of their hearts, and in some cases, future career paths. None of our students would experience the successes they do without a firm foundation at home and in the community. We sincerely appreciate your role!

Sincerely,

Bethany Yuninger