New Trier High School Hosts Student-Directed Play Showcase – Details Inside!

New Trier High School in Winnetka, IL, is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its annual spring directing project showcase. The event features student-directed short plays that will be presented over four days at the Hayes-McCausland Theatre on the school’s Winnetka campus. The showcase involves more than a dozen plays that were selected from a pool of 22 productions initially staged by Theatre 4 students earlier in the year. Out of the 22 initial productions, 14 were chosen by student directors to be presented again at the showcase.

According to Nina Lynn, the instructor of the Theatre 4 class, this year’s plays provide a diverse representation of the interests, perspectives, and personalities of New Trier’s class of 2024. She commended the seniors for their resilience and creativity, particularly highlighting their support for each other as they navigated the challenges posed by the virtual learning environment during the pandemic. The plays are noted to contain mature subject matter and may not be suitable for all audiences.

Hilerre Kirsch, the performing arts coordinator at the Winnetka campus, emphasized the importance of the student directing showcase as a platform for advanced students to develop and showcase their directorial skills and artistic voices. The showcase provides an opportunity for these students to demonstrate a specific point of view and contribute to the school’s overall artistic season.

The showcase schedule includes a variety of plays directed by the students, such as „Twilight Zone: Nothing In The Dark,“ „Greensleeves,“ „Athena,“ and „I and You.“ The event is open to the public, with no tickets required for general admission seating. The showcased plays feature a range of themes and styles, offering the audience a glimpse into the talent and creativity of New Trier High School’s aspiring young directors.