This year, our high school and middle school theater students journeyed back to the time of knights and dragons for their fall production. Throughout the years, humanity has returned to the legend of King Arthur for its valuable lessons of loyalty, friendship, courage, and strength. In 1889, Mark Twain put his spin on the classic King Arthur adventure tale in his novel, “A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court.” Our cast and crew worked hard to bring this story to life for the enjoyment of our entire YISS community on November 15 and 16.

In preparation for the show, cast members studied the character archetypes and legends of King Arthur to craft their characters. Under the mentorship of more experienced cast members, our underclassmen and middle school students were able to cultivate their skills in acting, improvising, memorizing lines, and even choreographing a bit of stage combat. Students worked hard at rehearsals night after night, week after week to fine tune their delivery and movements. As a result of working closely together, students not only made progress, but also created lasting friendships during their three months of rehearsals. 

Our stage crew of dedicated middle and high school students learned the art of timing scene transitions, checking mics, and preparing props each night. On opening night, all the pieces came together; especially the beautifully dressed stage, courtesy of an amazing team of volunteer parents:  Sarah Naidoo, Ting Ting Chen, Tarjani Atal, Kang Eun Kim, and EunJoo Lee. Affectionately known as the “drama mamas,” this skilled team spent countless hours constructing, painting, and decorating the set in preparation for the big show during the weekdays and even a few weekends! We are also very grateful to Anjali Bansal, a very talented photographer who contributed her time and skills to take photographs to help promote and capture our show. 

Our rendition of the teenage boy who found himself stuck in time was made possible through the time and efforts of many in our close-knit community of students, parents, teachers, and staff who are dedicated to the arts. We thank you all for this season’s fantastic show!