As a student herself, Brooke Snow fell in love with theater and all that it gave her as a person, as a student and as a performer. While certainly a strong student in numerous academic areas in her time at Pentucket Regional High School, Ms. Snow followed her passion, performing in multiple productions in school from short one act plays to large scale musical productions. She eventually found herself at the renowned Tisch School for the Arts at the Manhattan campus for NYU. Earning a Master’s in Educational Theater she returned to Pentucket bringing her passion, enthusiasm and skills to the classroom - but not just any classroom - the classroom on the stage.
Pentucket has long had a tradition of high quality theatrical productions which provided a space, outlet and connection for so many students to immerse themselves into the study of acting, singing, dancing, and creativity. It also connected students who had other interests, such as sound, lighting, set design and costume work. The range of opportunities for students in theater allows any student to find a place in the program. In fact, that is one the points of pride for Ms. Snow and all of the students involved.
The new building has provided these students with multiple spaces to learn and enhance their craft and skills. Obviously the highlight is the amazing auditorium, with a balcony and seating for nearly 600 people. The size of the stage and the quality of the lighting and sound equipment would make most professionals jealous. However, many students find the black box theater, where the classroom instruction often occurs during the school day, to be their favorite place. And yet for some, it is in the booth learning the controls, fine tuning the sound or behind the stage assembling the sets, painting and creating a place for performers to shine.
“The Pentucket Theatre Arts Program is not just about putting on great, high-quality performances; as an educator, I strive to teach students about the importance of teamwork, discipline and self-expression both in class and in the after school productions. I aim to create a space where Pentucket students can truly be themselves and learn valuable life skills that will serve them well beyond the stage." - Brooke Snow, PRMHS Theater Teacher
Preparations for the Big Show
What most people see is the final product. The shows that bring the crowds and celebrate the work and performances of the students are certainly exciting and motivating for the students. But each day in school, our students are engaged in a variety of learning experiences. Classes for middle school students and high school students are part of their schedules. The students learn the basics of stage performances and script readings but also the finer points of it all too with tech workshops.
Kevin Berube, a long time parent volunteer in Pentucket, joined the staff this year managing the technical side of the theater spaces and he provides learning opportunities with the drama classes as well. Mr. Berube is teaching students how all of the behind the scenes work makes the production come to life. Mr. Berube is training the students to work during the school productions, but also to apply their skills in a possible future career. Many of the highly trained students operate the lighting, sound and tech equipment for outside productions, as they are the ones with the most skill and technical knowledge of how the equipment works and how to support a stage performance.
Starting with Middle School Students
The Middle School Intro to Performing Arts class is a bit of a “grab bag” of theater skills. Because it is a required course for all seventh grade students, it is important that all students feel comfortable. This seventh grade performing arts class is designed to introduce students to a variety of aspects within the world of performance. Throughout the semester, students explore the art of clowning, costume design, and technical aspects of theater.
In the clowning unit, students learn about the history of clowning, various clowning techniques, and they develop their own clown characters through improvisation and physical comedy exercises. They also learn about the importance of audience interaction and comedic timing. During the costume design unit, students study the role of costumes in storytelling and character development. They learn how to create costumes for a selected scene or character from a play. In the technical theater unit, students have the opportunity to explore the behind-the-scenes aspects of theater production. They learn about lighting, sound, set design, and stage management, and gain hands-on experience in operating technical equipment to prepare them for the high school theater courses.
High School Curriculum - Cross Curricular Connections
When students enroll in the Drama courses in High School it is as an elective and most students have had an experience that has drawn them to explore more in the theatrical arts. One of the prime focus points for students is to create 10 Minute Plays. Students write, direct, produce and technical design their own 10 minute plays. These works are completely original. They spend the semester working on playwriting, directing and tech units in order to prepare for the final project. The class holds auditions for all high school students and casts the shows themselves.
The final product is a night of 10 minute plays in the auditorium. This year, we had six ten minute plays in our final presentation. Over 30 high school students were involved in the final product. Collaboration and teamwork are essential in successfully putting together a production, and student directors have the opportunity to experience the satisfaction of seeing their vision come to fruition. Future classes will expand the development of writing and connect to literature, including units that teach more about theater history, play analysis and Shakespeare.
Break a Leg!
The drama program is just coming off its highly successful musical production of Les Misérables. Les Misérables was chosen as the musical because the students wanted to do something that would challenge the student actors and technicians. The drama team knew they had a beautiful, state-of-the-art auditorium that we wanted to fully utilize. This classic, well-known show was the perfect fit for the Pentucket students and community.
Jake Rivers ‘25 and Thomas Carrozo ‘27 - performing in Les Misérables in March 2024
The students worked as actors, scenic artists, costume designers, prop designers, lighting designers, sound engineers, spotlight operators, and more. There was A LOT of student involvement. Ms. Snow worked to foster an environment where all students’ ideas are heard and tried. As Ms. Snow stated, “I love working this way because my students are incredibly creative and come up with things that I wouldn’t have dreamed of.”
Narjis Musa ‘24- sings in Les Misérables in March 2024
The skills of middle school students, such as seventh grade student Bailey Graziano, were also put to use in the high school production. She worked as the production’s dramaturg, a job that teaches the cast and crew about the historical elements of the show. She would provide historical context to certain moments in the piece and act as an assistant director. She did research on France in the 19th century and the June Rebellion and created a PowerPoint presentation for the cast to view.
The ensemble of performers from Les Misérables
While Ms. Snow knows the impact theater has had on her life, her hope is that each student involved finds their own meaning. For some, she knows it may be just a great connecting experience for them, while others may find the same passion she did. The students are the ones with the greatest insight. Narjis Musa, Class of 2024 reflected on her experience.
“Since Ms. Snow has started directing Pentucket High School theater, I have been given so many opportunities to learn and grow as an artist and a person. Lost Girl gave each student the freedom to have some artistic freedom with their characters. When I was in Radium Girls I was assigned the role of Edward Markley, which was the largest role I had played so far. This gave me a chance to improve my acting skills and get better at memorizing lines since we only had a month to learn everything. Then Les Misérables opened so many doors for me. I was given a lead role, Enjolras, which forced me to learn the most songs I have ever had to learn at the same time. I felt myself growing as a singer and actor, but also as a person. I’m socially anxious but being in a large cast gave me the opportunity to talk to a lot of people. I think also having to act confidently, to act as a revolutionary leader gave me more confidence in real life. I was also asked to design the painting for the set, which was really cool. It was scary at first, but with the help of some friends in the cast who helped paint, we created a set that we all felt proud of. This was my first time designing a set and I’m so glad I got this opportunity. I’ve been given a lot of opportunities through the theater department in the past two years. I’m very grateful for every show I’ve been in and all the friends I’ve made."
Ongoing efforts and opportunities
The high school fall play is an opportunity to use the black box theater or the “Pentucket Drama Studio”. The Drama Studio is a fully equipped, 75 seat theater. The shows that take place in the Drama Studio are smaller scale, but they give the actors the chance to really focus on acting authentically and developing a character in depth. Because the space is so small, there is no hiding and it is a great opportunity for the kids to work on material that is more challenging and raw. The space is flexible, therefore the connection between the audience and the actors is more immersive and intimate. Acting in a black box theater can provide a more intense and focused experience for actors, as they are working in close quarters with their fellow performers and the audience. This can lead to a stronger sense of camaraderie and collaboration among the cast and crew, as well as a deeper connection to the material being performed. In October 2023, the black box was used for the first time with the high school production of D.W. Gregory’s “Radium Girls”.
There are multiple performance and technical opportunities for middle school students, as well. The middle school students are able to audition for ensemble roles in the larger high school musicals in the winter. In the springtime, there is a middle school only play. This year, the middle school will be performing “Freaky Friday”. Last year, the students were able to perform “The Addams Family”. These shows are a great way for the middle school students to tackle larger responsibilities and hone their skills in public speaking, performance and confidence building. The middle school tech students are able to work on the technical elements for both the winter show and the spring show.
Middle School performance of The Addams Family from 2023
While 24 Main St. in West Newbury may not be the bright lights of Broadway, it is home to some pretty impressive theater. The learning that takes place during the school day and after school is not always measured through a traditional report card grade. One only needs to take note of the dozens of alumni who return for performances every year to realize the impact the Drama Program has had on their lives.
Brent Conway
Assistant Superintendent