For Sherwood kids, the show goes on — downtown
This from Maya Blackmun at The Oregonian, who’s been covering the flap over a play about bullying at Sherwood Middle School. In brief: The show’s going on, but not in Sherwood, where the school principal ordered a last-minute postponement of “Higher Ground” and said parts of the script would have to be rewritten after parents of three kids involved in the show (out of almost 50) complained about the content. The kids voted to cancel the show, which was supposed to have opened Feb. 22, instead of changing it. Art Scatter wrote about the issue on Feb. 27.
Now you can see it, the way they and their director intend it: The Portland Center for the Performing Arts has donated the center’s Brunish Hall for one performance, at 2 p.m. this Sunday, March 9. It’s free, but donations are being accepted at the door (dig into your pockets) and the kids are also collecting nonperishable food for the Loaves and Fishes lunchtime program at Sherwood Senior Center, where they’ve been rehearsing. As the rock anthem goes: The kids are alright.
– Bob Hicks
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Tonight, I had the honor of seeing the first performance of Higher Ground for friends and family of the production. I have viewed several middle school plays, and this one is hands-down the best. The writing was sophisticated and witty. The student performances were sincere and moving. The people on my left and right cried at the end when all of the young actors’ persistence and dedication paid off with a standing ovation. The students shouted out thanks for Miss Brown, and Miss Brown finished by saying, “This play was worth every minute of it.” Please bring your teenage friends and family to this production—it is a tasteful portrayal of middle school life, and the play inspires one to live a life of kindness. The moral lesson is perfect, and teenagers need to hear that they are not alone in their daily struggles.
Comment by Educator — March 7, 2008 @ 10:54 pm