Exciting things are happening all over the theater department this year at Carmel; from visiting the Soviet Union in the 1920s to the sweeping setting of the jungle, there is something for everyone.

Kicking off the season is the high school NCTC performance, “The Dancers,” in October. High school studio students are heading to Charlotte Catholic to compete against multiple other local schools in hopes of advancing to the state competition.

Savannah Robin, who is playing the role of Mary Catherine Davis, explains the plot. She shares, “It takes place in the 50s in Texas. And it’s about this boy named Horace who is going to ask a girl named Emily to a dance. But Emily really does not want to go with Horace to the dance. But then Horace meets this other girl Mary Catherine. And then they go to the dance together. It’s really cute, and the life of kids in the 50s it’s really sweet.”

The weekend after NCTC, middle school is taking us to Crunchem Hall Elementary School through the musical “Matilda Jr.” with Clara Jane Kraska embodying the titular role. Auditions have taken place and the cast is already hard at work at perfecting the show to perform for audiences in October. Middle School Studio is also going to be preparing a separate one-act play to perform in early 2024.

The week after Matilda Jr. closes, high school auditions for “Anastasia” will be held on November 10th. Many high school students have already expressed immense excitement about the show, with some even stating it is “my absolute favorite show ever.”

“Anastasia” follows the search for the lost Romanov princess, with some hijinks and beautiful songs throughout. 

Finally, throughout the entire year, theater teacher Mrs. Alli Sanderson is going to be rehearsing “The Jungle Book Kids” with all four fifth-grade classes. Each class is going to be one complete cast, a change from how Carmel has run the fifth-grade show in the past.

Mrs. Kay Brinkley, former theater teacher and current freshmen Bible teacher, speaks about the communal connection that can be gained through theater. Which is a part of the reason why the whole fifth grade is participating in the show. She states, “What I love about [theater is]the community, the theater community is open to anybody. […] You don’t have to be someone who has been in theater for a long time [to be a part of the community].”

There is certainly quite a bit happening in the theater department this year, and it is incredible to see the growth of Carmel’s program from 2004, when  Brinkley first took over the theater department, to now. 

From combining the high school and middle school shows because the high school had not been developed fully, to now having three mainstage musicals and two competition shows a year, Carmel’s theater program has had immense growth.  

Working with all three divisions can be a challenge, but the theater department is certainly ready to face each unique aspect of all of the productions occurring throughout this school year.

Sanderson mentions how costumes may be difficult this year as she states, “I think a big challenge this year is costuming, trying to tell the story through what the characters are wearing.” From the sumptuous dresses that Anastasia requires, to the uniforms of Matilda Jr., each show requires a unique set of costumes. If anyone can surmount the costume challenge, it is the talented Carmel team.

“Above all else, theater is a way to glorify God,”  Brinkley states. Any students with an inkling of interest in the theater department are encouraged to audition and join the community Carmel has formed of actors, technicians and production team members.

Tickets for “Matilda Jr”. are on sale soon for October 3rd and 4th, and the NCTC performance on September 27th is free to attend at Charlotte Catholic School. The theater department is busy this year, and there is certainly a lot to look forward to this theatrical season.