Reflections on Winter and Looking Toward Spring
Last term ended with our production of Charlie Brown, which was lots of fun! I played Schroeder, a traditionally male role, but I think I was able to add my own influence to the character a bit. I tapped in to the original character's main personality trait—being obsessed with Beethoven—but I also tried to apply that excitement to her interactions with her friends.
The performance was in the final days before the end of term, so I wasn’t sure if many people would come, as that’s when tests tend to build up, but we ended up getting a lot of support from the student body, which was very heartening.
There was a while when I was kind of questioning why we were doing Charlie Brown of all shows–the subject matter on the surface seemed light, frivolous, and childish. I came, however, not only to appreciate the depth and wisdom of the small adventures of the six-year-old protagonists, but also to see how a fun children’s show doesn’t need a complex, mature plot to have an impact. I think it was uplifting.
Our music director, Devereaux, at the beginning of the process of creating the show said, “Why do people put comic strips at the end of newspapers? I don’t think it’s just for kids to read, although that’s part of it, but for adults, after reading a long, depressing segment of news, to have something light to make them laugh.” I think that was how the show was deeply significant. We’ve had months, years now, of heavy, heavy news, and a wholesome show filled with our love for one another as a cast, and carefully choreographed and rehearsed antics, was able to make some people smile. There is also something special about the relatability of Charlie Brown as a character. The show deals with mental health and has some very profound moments woven into its little stories. I think the school (and probably world) needed to see that, too.
It was a special show, and ultimately the most special part for me wasn’t even touching the community, it was the tiny community we created with one another. I made some really good friends, and our long cast dinners were bright lights in my winter term.
As we progress into the spring (which already feels like it’s flying by!), I can feel new friendships and communities developing. I’ve loved, for example, being on the crew team, from watching Hairspray at our coach’s house during pre-season while eating ice cream and cookies, to blasting music on my friend’s speaker during walks down to the boathouse.
Our form has started the college process, and it seems like when you ask someone the best thing about their school, a common answer is "the people." At Groton, it’s the opportunities I’ve had to connect deeply with the people every term through a range of activities that are very meaningful to me.
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The performance was in the final days before the end of term, so I wasn’t sure if many people would come, as that’s when tests tend to build up, but we ended up getting a lot of support from the student body, which was very heartening.
There was a while when I was kind of questioning why we were doing Charlie Brown of all shows–the subject matter on the surface seemed light, frivolous, and childish. I came, however, not only to appreciate the depth and wisdom of the small adventures of the six-year-old protagonists, but also to see how a fun children’s show doesn’t need a complex, mature plot to have an impact. I think it was uplifting.
Our music director, Devereaux, at the beginning of the process of creating the show said, “Why do people put comic strips at the end of newspapers? I don’t think it’s just for kids to read, although that’s part of it, but for adults, after reading a long, depressing segment of news, to have something light to make them laugh.” I think that was how the show was deeply significant. We’ve had months, years now, of heavy, heavy news, and a wholesome show filled with our love for one another as a cast, and carefully choreographed and rehearsed antics, was able to make some people smile. There is also something special about the relatability of Charlie Brown as a character. The show deals with mental health and has some very profound moments woven into its little stories. I think the school (and probably world) needed to see that, too.
It was a special show, and ultimately the most special part for me wasn’t even touching the community, it was the tiny community we created with one another. I made some really good friends, and our long cast dinners were bright lights in my winter term.
As we progress into the spring (which already feels like it’s flying by!), I can feel new friendships and communities developing. I’ve loved, for example, being on the crew team, from watching Hairspray at our coach’s house during pre-season while eating ice cream and cookies, to blasting music on my friend’s speaker during walks down to the boathouse.
Our form has started the college process, and it seems like when you ask someone the best thing about their school, a common answer is "the people." At Groton, it’s the opportunities I’ve had to connect deeply with the people every term through a range of activities that are very meaningful to me.
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