SEASON XV SPECIAL CELEBRATION

Fifteen summers ago, in honor of President Obama’s recent stimulus package created to get American banks back on their feet and to lift the economy out of the Great Recession, the Shorewood Recreation Department produced a musical revue parody entitled, A Musical Stimulus Package. Eight little girls signed up for a class called “Musical Theatre Production,” taught by an extremely new teacher and inexperienced theatre director who wrote the revue during spring semester.

With sets made of cardboard, costumes and props scrounged from Shorewood High School’s stock or the director’s parent’s basement,  and a handful of high school helpers, this show, filled with Broadway songs and original skits about being rich, wanting to be rich, and what it would take to be rich, played on a Tuesday afternoon to a crowd of about 40, including the woman who the Shorewood Auditorium is now named for, Barbara Gensler. She thought it was cute and well-written.

Flash-forward to summer 2023 and that theatre class – now known as Shorewood Drama Junior – is still going. In fact, it is thriving. We had a few rough semesters due to the pandemic and other health issues, but we are now at pre-pandemic numbers with our cast and crew members. We are staffed with five licensed theatre, music, and dance teachers and hardworking and enthusiastic high school drama mentors. We are still backed by the Shorewood Recreation Department and supported by the Drama Department at Shorewood High School.

This summer, at the start of our 15th season, we are presenting the MTI musical, Matilda Jr., based on the Tony-winning Broadway musical and Roald Dahl’s classic children’s novel. The story of a magical little girl who finds refuge and strength in reading and storytelling, is the perfect selection to celebrate fifteen years of magical storytelling, produced by the amazing children, over 450, who have participated in Drama Jr.

To honor those of you who have participated, we invite you to come for a Drama Jr. Alumni Social Hour, prior to our opening night performance on Saturday, July 22nd at 6:00 pm in the lobby of the Barbara Gensler auditorium on the Shorewood High School campus. See old friends, peruse memorabilia from your shows, and see how Drama Jr. has blossomed, all thanks to your participation. Whether you were one of the pioneers who helped to get this program off the ground in the early years, or if you were a “one and done” kid, or a summer regular, or someone who did every (or nearly every) show you possibly could, we’d love to see you.

Ms. Sara B. Van Loon

Artistic Director and Founder of Shorewood Drama Jr.