Students Shining Through the Play

Dear TQS Families,

“Plays are supposed to hold up a mirror to society. And through that reflection create empathy, bring people together, bring people to a closer understanding, start a very difficult conversation, start arguments, start relationships.” – Marcel Spears, Actor, Fat Ham

No matter how many artistic endeavors I experience in my lifetime, I will always be amazed by the power of the performing arts: how they connect, inspire, illuminate, and transform the human experience.

For example, this past week I had the pleasure of watching Fat Ham at the Wilma Theater in Philadelphia. It’s a modern, spirited, Pulitzer Prize-winning adaptation of Shakespeare's classic tragedy, Hamlet, set in the American South and co-produced by the National Black Theatre, the Public Theater, and the Wilma Theater. 

Beautiful, poignant, and hilariously funny, this Obie Award-winning show explores Shakespearean themes through characters like Southern matriarch Theodosia, her proud lesbian daughter Ophie, and the flamboyant main character Juicy. Tio, a social media-savvy version of Shakespeare’s Horatio, navigates questions of his own masculinity and sexuality amidst family tensions, and the forbidden love between Ophie and her partner Keisha parallels classic Shakespearean tropes. 

If you are wondering how all this can be funny, go see the show – I laughed so hard it hurt. What makes this play especially interesting is that playwright James Ijames received his MFA from Temple and teaches at Villanova. (This town always loves it when one of our own is successful.) 

I have been thinking a lot about this play, and also about how important the performing arts are to all of us – especially to students with complex challenges. 

My daughter, Pearl, who has a very hard time understanding and producing language, was at the Penn Ballet’s Nutcracker this weekend. Since all of the storytelling is through music and movement, she was able to fully access the art, without limitation from her disabilities. 

In this same way, TQS’s play brings out the very best in our students. 

Students who struggle with communication say their lines beautifully as they engage the audience … students who struggle with executive functioning study their roles and manage their materials for months leading up to the performance … and for two beautiful nights, TQS students show just how much they can accomplish as they shine on stage in front of the entire community.

That’s why I am so thrilled that this year’s TQS play is officially underway. TQS students will be performing The Somewhat True Tale of Robin Hood, directed by beloved TQS Learning Specialist Jenn Gallagher. Sign-ups opened recently and rehearsals begin not long after Winter Break. 

I encourage all TQS students and families to sign up, get involved, see the show, and join in the magic. As Hamlet (the original) said himself, “The play’s the thing…”

Shine on,

Alex