The drama department at University High School is student centered. Students play significant roles in helping to select and co-direct the productions, and students provide the technical design and direction.
The drama program consists of a fall play, spring musical (in cooperation with the music department), January Term courses and an informal drama club that meets occasionally to attend performances at local theatres. Attending outside productions in which our students or alumni perform is a popular club activity. University students have performed in such venues as the Gregory Hancock Nutcracker, Indiana Repertory Theatre and Beef and Boards. Student groups also enjoy seeing University’s music director in various performances with Beef and Boards and Indianapolis Opera.
Willy Wonka
Our Town
Peter Pan
Night of January 16th
Catcher in the Rye
A Death in the Family
Lord of the Flies
Midsummer Night’s Dream
You Can’t Take It With You
Twelfth Night
The Foreigner
Godspell
Lucky Stiff
The Baker’s Wife
Jekyll and Hyde
Guys and Dolls
Once Upon a Mattress
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
Little Shop of Horrors
Drama productions at University have included faculty actors. The assistant head of school played Willy Wonka and an English teacher performed the Jesus role in the musical Godspell. This allows for a creative relationship between students and staff outside of the classroom that is a unique feature of the school’s community culture.
University High School takes creative risks. The school has presented fully staged readers theatre productions of classic novels on three occasions, one of which was adapted by the school’s creative writing instructor. Original music was created and performed by students for all three productions.
Student-written and directed plays often are produced at University High School. One such play, premiered at University, was work-shopped by Indiana Repertory Theatre and won the student author the 2008 Playwrights in Process contest at IRT.
January Term classes have included “Introduction to Theatre,” “The Actor’s Craft” and “Theatres of Indianapolis.” During the latter, field trips were taken to many local theatres for behind-the-scenes experiences as well as for performances. J Term classes are taught by guest teachers who are professional actors or directors from the community. This allows for exposure to a different/professional perspective on drama. These guest teachers in turn frequently bring in guests from their local professional network.
Drama at University is inclusive. Freshmen routinely are cast in major roles in both plays and musicals. In addition, everyone who auditions for the spring musical is assured of a role in the production. Technical theatre at University is a completely hands-on, student-driven process, with students both designing and constructing the sets. Finally, student directors are genuinely co-directors, not just token participants.
