Have you ever been the new student at school?
Heard a rumour about yourself?
Been treated like the outsider?
We have all felt like Gertie Greene at one point, so this play was a great opportunity to explore the themes of bullying, being welcomed, and believing in yourself.
And didn’t the actors do so well! It was a very complex script in English, with everyone having lots of lines to learn and cues to remember. Being able to express humour and understand a script are some of the most difficult things to master in another language, and I am so proud of how our students produced this on stage. It really shows how far they have come in English, and how the hard work of the English Department is presented by the students confidence in using the language.
We did not have long to practice and rehearse for this play, with most of the holidays falling on Drama days! But we persevered and finally everything came together on the day.
I would like to thank all the parents for coming to show their support, the teachers and staff for all their help with lighting, sound, ushering and cheerleading, and of course our wonderful actors!
Well done, students! How brave of you to perform this play in your non-native language! As a Spanish teacher myself I can imagine how hard this was for you. I wish I could have seen it! Bravo!
~Taryn Temple
Author of “The Redemption of Gertie Greene”