Whether singing, preparing for an upcoming musical, playing a role, or acting in an upcoming theater play, it’s what these students are not doing that’s so beneficial. They’re not plunked in front of the TV. And they’re not glued into their phones.
They’re having fun with friends, practicing in their drama class, or rehearsing their upcoming musical with Marshall Middle School in Olympia.
About 12 years ago, Jason Haws, who teaches drama and social studies at Marshall Middle School, helped start the theater classes at his school. It’s been a yearly success, drawing 20 to 30 kids a year to be in the plays and another 20-plus to be in the musicals.
“It’s so much fun,” said Ben Anderson, an eighth grader at Marshall who has taken Haws’ drama class since sixth grade. “I love it.”
Last year, Haws had a really top-notch group in his eighth grade drama class and they put on two Shakespeare productions. Half the class did “Midsummer Night’s Dream” and the other half did “The Tempest.”
“They loved it,” Haws said. “They were totally into it.”
This spring, the school’s musical is “Once On This Island,” which will be performed May 30-31 and June 1 at Capital High School. The drama class has not decided what production they’re going to do.
Anderson got involved with Marshall’s drama class because his brother, who is two years older, had a good time doing it. Anderson’s interests go beyond the classroom experience. He has greater aspirations.
“It just sounded like a lot of fun,” Anderson said when asked why he got involved with the drama class. “It sounded right up my ally because when I grow up I want to be a part of movies. I just love it. It’s a lot of fun for me. I just love it.”
The takeaways go beyond the applause at the end of each production. There’s some life lessons the students gain. Studies have shown how important it is for young students to be connected, to feel connected. Whether it’s through sports or through after school clubs, connecting is important in helping young students develop.
“In drama, it gives them a community to feel connected to,” said Cassie White, who teaches the musical club with Haws and Betsy Papaly. “That in turn keeps them in school longer and it encourages them to open up other doors to other types of activities.”
The life lesson from taking a drama class is the communication skills – building and polishing a student’s ability to speak.
“Yes, I believe students who specifically go through a drama program like this are more inclined to do better on interviewing and they’re going to have more confidence in themselves,” White said. “And socially, they’re interacting here.”
And they’re making friends rather than going home and watching TV or playing on their iPhone.
“Yeah. As a matter of fact, we have a rule that while we are rehearsing there are absolutely no phones out,” White said.
Ella Meyer and Mikayla Christensen are both eighth graders and they’ve both been in the school’s drama class since they were sixth graders. For Meyer, getting involved with the drama class just seemed natural.
“I guess I’ve always been kind of a dramatic person,” Meyer said with a smile. “When I was little, my parents said, “Oh, let’s do the drama.”
Both Meyer and Christiansen are drawn by the challenge of learning their lines and learning to say them dramatically in front of an audience. Preparing for the big performance takes a lot of time. But it doesn’t eclipse their focus on the classroom. They’re both carrying about 3.9 GPAs. They’ve learned to take care of business and not to goof around.
“It’s fun,” Meyer said. “I like it.”
Meyer likes the challenge of acting, of putting on a different character. For her, it’s a challenge and an escape.
“It’s really cool to be able to be yourself but play someone else,” Meyer said. “Because it’s something I love to do and I can kind of put all my worries aside and let loose and be someone completely different.”
While there’s a solo quality to acting, there’s also a supportive team atmosphere that Christiansen enjoys and appreciates.
“It’s very supportive,” Christiansen said. “Everyone supports you. And we’re like all this big family.”
For the spring musical, practice begins in late March and continues for two hours, three days a week after school until their performance in late May. Logan Henderson and Anderson, who are both eighth graders, have been in the drama class and the musicals since they were in sixth grade.
For Henderson, satisfaction is his reward.
“I think it’s really fun to be a part of the performances and make such a great result because Marshall puts on these really great plays and they’re really fun to watch,” Henderson said. “People enjoy them. It’s something you’re proud to be a part of.”
Memorizing a script and learning your part takes more than a one-time scan. But Anderson doesn’t mind. He’s drawn by the end result – the performance.
“It’s a lot of practice to be in a play of any kind. Speaking or not,” Anderson said.
It takes a lot of work, but Anderson always looks forward to practice of another play or another musical.
“Yeah, I could be watching TV or playing video games,” Anderson said. “I do this because I’ve been doing it since the third grade. And I’ve always loved it. It’s just a yearly thing I want to keep doing. I want to do less video games. Less TV. All that stuff. That’s why I love the plays.”
Like the students he teaches, Haws’ commitment to directing the drama class and the musicals have an early beginning rooted in childhood.
“I’ve been involved in drama my whole life,” Haws said at a recent musical practice. “My mom put me in a drama program when I was in kindergarten.”
Every Saturday, Haws, who grew up in Colorado, would do drama classes at Colorado College. And for all these years he’s making sure young students get that same opportunity to act in a play. He’s just passing on the good and fulfilling times.
