Proctor's Arts Department presents The Foreigner written by American playwright, Larry Shue, and directed by Jen Summers as its winter production. The hilarious story lines follow equally powerful themes of racism, identity, and injustice as two British visitors spend time at a rural Georgia fishing lodge. Kudos to Proctor's cast and crew for putting on a tremendous show, and for fully embracing the depth of the content within the production. Enjoy this review of the play and be sure to reserve your tickets for this weekend's performances (see link at the bottom of this post)! 

When Cope ‘17, Jay ‘17, Carl ‘17, and Cros ‘17 began singing “A Prayer for the Children” during Sunday afternoon’s vocal music ensemble recital, it felt as though someone pressed the pause button on life. Their impassioned voices carried the words off the page and into the hearts of the seventy-five parents and community members in attendance. “Can you feel the hearts of the children? / Aching for home, for something of their very own / Reaching hands, with nothing to hold on to, / But hope for a better day a better day.”

On Wednesday afternoon, the Proctor community celebrated Senior Projects and senior art awards with our first annual Express Fest! For decades, the final Wednesday afternoon of the academic year has been dedicated to showcasing Senior Project exhibits, but as we looked to provide balance to awards given at Senior Dinner, Arts Department Chair Bill Wightman brainstormed a collaboration of art awards, Senior Project exhibits, and an all-school barbeque outside the Meeting House. It was a fantastic way to gather as a community one last time and to celebrate the contributions of our seniors over the course of their Proctor careers. 

 Each spring, Proctor's theater department works magic to build a detailed set, create elaborate costumes, and rehearse for endless hours in anticipation of the Spring Musical. This year, the theater department chose Urinetown, a satirical comedy that satirizes big business, social irresponsibility, the legal system and much, much more. 

Each winter Proctor’s theater department puts on a wonderful production. Check out highlights from last year’s production of To Kill a Mockingbird to see for yourself! This winter, the drama tech crew has built an elaborate set and actors have worked incredibly hard to produce Harvey showing Friday and Saturday nights at 7:00 PM in the Norris Family Theater!

Some endeavors provide immediate gratification. You put in the hard work and see immediate results. The arts is not one of those endeavors. Students spend an entire term refining their talents, exploring new techniques, trying different mediums. There is no right or wrong, just a constant opportunity to get better. The end of the term provides the community a window into this journey as student work is showcased at the art show and the dance team, jazz/rock ensemble, and vocal music ensemble perform. 

In the eight short weeks of the Spring Term, Proctor’s drama department holds auditions, learns hundreds of lines, builds an intricate set, organizes dozens of costumes, and performs a full-length musical. It’s a miracle, really.