Often a school theater program exists because of the dedication of a few teachers and determined parents. And with some help from The Mouse.
Stephanie Salas and Melissa Kruser are two of those determined parents. They started working on a theater program at Sennett Middle School after their kids graduated from Henderson Elementary, one of five Madison elementary schools with a theater program participating in the Disney Musicals in Schools program.
“I was shocked to learn that [Sennett] hadn’t had a theater program in 10 years,” writes Kruser in an email.
“When arts programs are not put on the forefront, they can fade away,” says Salas.
Salas approached the Madison Metropolitan School District to propose reintroducing theater at Sennett, and the district pointed her in the direction of the Overture Center, which coordinates the Disney program.
That national program, which started up here in elementary schools in 2017, began to expand to middle schools last academic year with Toki and Whitehorse. Sennett was already on Overture liaison Karra Beach’s list of schools that would benefit from the program, as a Title 1 school where kids are less likely to be able to participate in outside theater or other enrichment programs.
During a school’s first year of participation, Overture provides two teaching artists to help with stage skills, singing and choreography, and Disney and Musical Theatre International cover the cost of all licensing for performing the musical.
Salas says she told Dan Davidson, MMSD’s director of arts education, that if the district could find a teacher to take on the project, “I can find an army of mothers to help me [with fundraising]. I made that promise.” Now that determination is coming to fruition as the Sennett Theater Club rehearses for its production of Moana JR, a 60-minute musical adaptation of the Disney animated film.
Abby Stupar is the teacher. In her first year teaching 7th grade social studies, she wanted to be involved, because school drama programs “meant so much to me when I was growing up. When I heard that Sennett wanted to do a musical, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to combine my love for theater and teaching children the joy of theater.”
Stupar believes theater introduces important skills like collaboration, self-confidence, creativity and empathy (“trying to understand what makes this character tick”) in students.
And Stupar says she’s learning a lot too. “I’m getting to know the students in a more relaxed setting and can see their creative side come out.” She’s also discovering how she can integrate the arts into her practice as a social studies teacher, “which I’m super passionate about.”
Rehearsals take place after school for three hours on Mondays, when the visiting teaching artists are there; and for one hour on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
The booster club is raising money for costumes and sets, but also compensation for teaching staff, which includes not just Stupar but vocal director Rebecca Batis, producer Courtney Lindl and crew director Parlee Hayden, among others. Some funding comes from Overture and some from Madison School and Community Recreation, but arts director Davidson says that a lot of the work is “volunteerism from the staff.”
“We think that if we want this program to continue, making sure that they are paid what they are worth is really important,” says Salas.
MSCR is providing buses for after-program pickup, and a snack. “We want this to be an inclusive program,” says Salas.
And the interest is there. Initially 93 kids signed up; now, as the April show dates approach, 76 are still on board.
The booster club is trying to raise $7,000 through bake sales, selling candy bars, donations from local businesses — “doing all the things,” says Salas. They are at about $5,500. A meat raffle to benefit the Sennett theater program will be held May 17 from noon-3 p.m. at the Dive Inn, 521 Cottage Grove Road, with more donated items to be raffled too.
And of course, you can always buy a ticket to the show. Performances are April 25 and 26 at 7 p.m. and April 27 at noon in the auditorium at La Follette High School.
“If you want to support kids in your community and a program that is doing good for kids who are vulnerable at a Title 1 school — we are creating a safe place for them to land after school four days a week and giving them real life skills,” says Salas. “They’re being vulnerable, they are speaking loudly, they’re singing in front of people, and they’re getting out of the world of screens in a way that is really positive.”