Director Note,
As I write this it is April 2022. Almost a year to the day since Mr. Matlock and I decided we were going to put on Rock of Ages. Both of us wanted to give our students something to look forward to as we ended last year with a bit of uncertainty. The way we decided to do that was to put on a fun show with recognizable songs and a ton of heart. And to be completely honest, it was an opportunity to have some live music and put on an awesome rock concert. The goal was to do something that would be fun for the performers, for the crew, the directors, and for the audience. I think that exploring deep theatre with complex characters and challenging plots is a lovely endeavor and one what we should strive for. That being said, sometimes the best way to create powerful theatre is to have some fun.
I firmly believe that theatre can inspire as well as entertain. That inspiration takes all forms. It inspires connection. It inspires creativity. It allows us to inspire each other. It's an opportunity to give some of yourself to enrich the people around you. To offer a piece of yourself. Coming off of the last few years, I think all of us could benefit from a little bit of that. If all else fails, we all get to enjoy a world with fewer consequence for a little while. A world where the effort you put forth toward anything outweighs itself. A world where people break into Whitesnake songs, tell some jokes, and fall in love. Not everything has to be life or death, or the end of the world. Sometimes it can be a story about some kids pursuing a dream and finding what they really want along the way. I truly hope that you all can experience some of the inspiration (and some of the fun) that I've been lucky enough to reieve from my cast, my crew, and my fellow directors.
Sincerely,
Jake Webb
