From Disappointment to Determination: How Students Come Together to Save Franklin's Theater Company

Towards the end of last year Franklin High School almost suffered a devastating loss. During a vote from Franklin’s community, a budget override was denied and many extra curricular activities were lost due to this funding issue at Franklin High. Some of these extra curricular activities that were cut were our beloved theater classes, director, and the funding for the theater company itself. For years the high school’s theater program had thrived, and was extremely well known for their performances like Legally Blonde and Lord of the Flies. Having performed at METG for a continuous number of years and many students receiving awards for their outstanding performances and for their amazing technical skills, our theater company was well known and extremely loved. To many students, this company had become a family and a home. Senior Eden Donovan says, “Franklin theater is my friends and my life,” and junior Lindsey Callahan says the other members are “my family.” 

When it was announced that the company had less funding, members of the company were in many different places and heard about it at different times. Despite this, they all had the same reaction: pure disappointment. Junior Virginia (Ginny) Bernstein was sitting in a musical theater showcase when she heard the news. She says she “ran outside and screamed.” To so many people theater was an outlet to fully express themselves without any judgment. For junior Grace Olah, theater helped her to open up and find her true voice, and for senior Eden Donavan theater helped her to find a future and herself. The thought that FHS’s prized theater program could be gone hit harder for senior Jason DiMatteo. 

Jason has been in FHSTC since his freshman year,  and it had quickly become a family to him. When asked what theater is to him he said, “[It’s] a way for me to express myself and keep me busy.”

During Peter and the Starcatcher, last year’s final production, Jason was told by former theater director, Skylar Grossman, that he was to be the 2024-2025’s President of the Theater Company. He was then told that Mr. Grossman would not be returning, and it was up to him (Jason) and other members of the council to help keep theater running. It had been previously decided in his sophomore year that Jason would direct the senior directed show when the time came.

Jason is described by many peers as driven, hardworking, and determined. Junior Grace Olah says “[he] creates a fun and loving atmosphere, but he can be serious when it comes down to it.” Science teacher, Catherine Quigley, says Jason is “very passionate, and not afraid to fight for what he believes in.” The determination that Jason has motivated him to try and help save the theater company. He organized a peaceful walkout during finals week at the end of the 2023-2024 school year. He has no fear nor hesitation when it comes to the things he loves and is passionate about.

Jason began looking at scripts for his senior directed show during his school trip to Greece during junior year.  

The Outsiders was the first play that he read when trying to find one. Jason said that “nothing stuck like Outsiders. It’s a timeless story.” He also shares that the story reigns true for our own theater company right now. For those who have not read or watched The Outsiders, it is the story of two different marginalized groups, greasers and socs, that are constantly fighting with one another. It’s about the struggles and stereotypes kids fight, and how it affects their lives on a day to day basis. Jason voices that part of the reason he chose to do The Outsiders is because “[it]  resonates with me because of the end of last year. Stay gold through these issues, [and we] can do anything we put our minds to,” and “everyone can be an outsider in their life at some point.”

The entire theater company is ready and excited to show the Franklin community how hard they have worked. They have been working non-stop since mid-September to be able to put this show together. Come see this year's senior directed show The Outsiders November 1 or 2 at 7:30 pm or November 3 at 2:00 pm. 

Buy tickets here! https://cur8.com/39729/project/124357