Operating with no drama classes offered by the district, many of our students come into the high school with little more than an interest for the stage.  By taking on a wide variety of comedic and dramatic productions, we have cultivated that interest into talent at the high school level and beyond.  Many of our students have continued to pursue drama after graduation; acting in college productions or being involved with community theater like Community Showcase, Children’s Community Theater, or the Stagecoach Players.  We have also helped generate interest in theater with younger students, which in turn has resulted in what hopefully will be regular plays at the middle school level.  In the fall of 2008, we held a three-day drama clinic for students in grades 6-12.

The drama department has undertaken a wide array of projects in the past and has been recognized at the state level three times in the last seven years.  In 2005, one of our one-act plays, I Know I Saw Gypsies, was honored by the Illinois High School Theater Association.   The drama department was invited to perform I Know I Saw Gypsies at the 2006 Illinois High School Theater Festival.  We also presented a workshop on organizing student directed plays.   Most recently, our 2008 fall play, Sarah, Plain And Tall was selected to be performed as a full-length production at the 2009 festival.

We are challenging our students by presenting fresh works that will further develop their acting skills, and at the same time address all of our levels of thinking.