Saint John's High School

Theater at Saint John's

Every year, Saint John's Theater puts on several shows for the community. Many talented students have the opportunity to audition and perform at three major productions throughout the school year or become involved with set construction or stage crew.

Improv Society is a group run by students and geared towards the improvisational side of storytelling.

The Audio Production Club provides technical support for Masses and other events on campus.

The Studio Art Club meets weekly to practice and share their talents.

And many musicians find a place in small group ensembles after school in addition to the daily curriculum.

While always known for academic rigor and athletic excellence, attention to the performing arts grew with the inception of the Spring Show in the 1970s. There was a renewed interest in theatre and music owing to the pioneering work of several faculty and alumni. Things were looking up for the arts even more as the school community moved into the Ryken Center which included the first true theatre space on the Shrewsbury campus in 1999. At that time a semester requirement of Fine Arts study was added to the curriculum to help fulfill the school’s mission to educate the whole person, including his aesthetic awareness and growth.

As the school now moves into Founders Hall with a state-of-the-art theatre and performing space, band and chorus rooms, and a light-filled art studio, it is exciting to witness how the program is continuing to grow for the future.

Opportunities for Students

AUDITIONS/ Show Specific Stage Crew (Grades 9-12)

Contact Mr. Colby for information regarding upcoming auditions and stage crew - ncolby@stjohnshigh.org

AUDIO PRODUCTION (Grades 9-12)

The Audio Production Club runs sound for many events on campus. Most notably, Audio Production is responsible for the setup and operation of all sound for Saint John's Masses and Prayer Services. Contact Mr. Bill White (English Teacher) for more information at bwhite@stjohnshigh.org.

IMPROV SOCIETY (Grades 9-12)

The Improv Society is a student-run organization that meets most Fridays after school in the black box theater. Stop in anytime to get involved or just enjoy a few laughs. 2:30-4 PM. Contact Mr. Borchelt for more information at fborchelt@stjohnshigh.org.

Saint John's Network (Grades 9-12)

The Saint John's Network (SJN) is a student-organized video journalism club dedicated to showcasing the unique life at Saint John's. Student journalists and videographers meet weekly to collaborate, plan, script, film, and produce video news clips which are then published on SJ's YouTube Channel (Saint John's Live). SJN gives its members the opportunity to explore exciting topics and have fun sharing those stories with the Saint John's community. See Mr. Woodmansee (jwoodmansee@stjohnshigh.org) for more information about how your vision can be shared through the SJN.

SET CONSTRUCTION (Grades 9-12)

Stage Crew typically meets Tuesdays and Fridays in the Lauring Scene Shop on the lower level of Founders Hall from 2:30-5. Any Saint John's student in grades 9-12 can help with set construction at any time. There is no need to commit to every day or fill out an application form for construction. If you have additional questions, contact Mr. Colby at ncolby@stjohnshigh.org.

Recent Saint John's Drama Productions

Spring 2024 - 4AM/The Magic Hour
Winter 2024 - The 39 Steps
Fall 2023 - Bye Bye Birdie
Spring 2023 - Clue
Winter 2023 - The Sound of Music
Fall 2022 - Winter Break
Winter 2022 - Twentieth Century
Winter 2021 - A Charlie Brown Christmas
Fall 2021 - 7 @ 7
Winter/Spring 2021 - SJ Man Project
Fall 2020 - War of the Worlds
Spring 2020 - Smokescreen
Winter 2020 - Eurydice
Fall 2019 - Anything Goes
Spring 2019 - Harvey
Winter 2019 - Almost, Maine
Fall 2018 - A Funny Thing happened on the way to the Forum
Spring 2018 - An Evening of One Acts
Winter 2018 - Is He Dead?
Fall 2017 - Damn Yankees
Spring 2017 - Playboy of the Western World
Winter 2017 - Twelve Angry Men
Fall 2016 - Little Shop of Horrors
Spring 2016 - The Tempest
Winter 2016 - Private Lives
Fall 2015 - White Christmas
Spring 2015 - A Midsummer Night's Dream
Winter 2015 - A Doll's House
Fall 2014 - Nice Work if You Can Get It
Spring 2014 - The Comedy of Errors
Winter 2014 - The Importance of Being Earnest
Fall 2013 - Babes in Arms
Summer 2013 - Summer Music and Theater on the Green
Spring 2013 - Godspell
Winter 2013 - Pygmalion
Fall 2012 - Guys & Dolls

What's Coming Up

Saint John's High School is excited to announce auditions for

Monty Python's Spamalot School Edition

Lovingly ripped off from the classic film comedy Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Monty Python’s Spamalot retells the legend of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table and features a bevy of characters, cows, killer rabbits, and French people! The School Edition maintains the integrity of the original script while providing some sensible edits to the text. This outrageous, uproarious, and gloriously entertaining story of King Arthur and the Lady of the Lake will delight audiences as they search for the Holy Grail and “always look on the bright side of life.”

Save these Dates:

Audition Workshop - Friday, August 30th

2:30-4:30 pm (not required, but open to anyone interested in auditioning)

Auditions - Wednesday, September 4th

2:30-5 pm (required for anyone wanting to be in the show

if you are interested in auditioning but are unavailable this day

please contact Mr. Colby - ncolby@stjohnshigh.org)

Callbacks - Thursday, September 5th

2:30-5 pm (students required to attend callbacks will be notified by email on the evening of 9/5)

The Who, What, Where and When:

Who: The Audition Workshop and Auditions are open to ALL Saint John's Students in grades 7-12 and Girls in grades 9-12 from the surrounding communities.

What: All roles are open. Opportunities are available to expand the female cast from its original casting if appropriate.

Where: All audition activities will take place in The Black Box, located in the Ryken Center at

Saint John's High School, 378 Main Street - Shrewsbury, MA 01545

When: Saint John's High School students should attempt to arrive at the black box as close to 2:30 as possible. Saint John’s Middle School students should come to the black box at the conclusion of their school day. Students traveling from other schools should arrive when it is safe for you to do so at the conclusion of your school day. We do not advocate leaving school early or unsafe driving in an attempt to get to the auditions earlier. If you think you may arrive later than 3:30 please contact Mr. Colby - ncolby@stjohnshigh.org

Students traveling from other schools can park wherever they find an open space. Look for the audition signs directing you to The Ryken Center. When you drive in the main entrance of campus The Ryken Center is the middle of the three main buildings surrounding the Campus Green and is labeled above the main entrance doors.

More Information:

Audition Packets - Are available here and at the Auditions. Auditions will consist of singing from the show, reading from the show, and some simple movement.

Rehearsals - Will primarily meet on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 2:30-5. A specific rehearsal schedule will be provided at the first rehearsal on Monday, September 9th.

Performances - Thursday through Saturday, November 14-16th at 7 PM. Sunday, November 17th should be reserved as a snow date and/or strike. All performances will be held in:

Robert R. Jay Performing Arts Center

Founders Hall

Saint John’s High School

378 Main Street

Shrewsbury, MA 01545

Directors - Mr. Nathan Colby, Director - Mr. Richard Monroe, Music Director

Mrs. Brie Marshall, Choreographer

Stage Crew:

Stage Crew - is open to Saint John’s Students in grades 9-12. The stage crew works backstage during the performance on things like scenery, lighting, and sound to ensure the technical elements of the production are executed correctly and safely. Some stage crew positions will be present throughout the entire rehearsal process. Other stage crew positions will not be needed until November and will then be needed through the end of the production. You can find more information about the specific jobs here. Initial Stage Crew Applications are due by Thursday, September 5th at 3 pm.

Applications can be found here.

Questions:

ncolby@stjohnshigh.org

SaintJohnsArts

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