Advanced Repertory Students Bond Over Class, Productions

For 10 seniors, seventh hour isn’t just a regular class. Class time isn’t spent discussing “A Separate Peace” or solving differential equations. Seventh hour is spent writing plays and designing backdrops. Seventh hour is Advanced Repertory Theatre class.

Advanced Repertory is a drama class for seniors only. It’s the most advanced theatre class offered at East and students must take drama, actors studio, technical theater and repertory theatre prior to Advanced Repertory.

“It’s supposed to show what they’ve learned through their theatre studies, so we allow them the opportunity to direct their own piece and they do children’s theatre shows and things like that at a more advanced level,” Advanced Repertory teacher Brian Cappello explained.

During second semester, the seniors collaborate with each other to put on children’s plays at the local elementary schools.

“We have a big enough class this year that we divided them in half so one group is doing Cinderella and another group in doing Where the Wild Things Are,” Cappello said.

The class has given the students an environment to be creative and try want they want.

“Not only are we kind of each other’s peers in the class, but we’re also just a close, tight-knit group of friends.”

“It allows them to explore and study stuff you wouldn’t do for other classes because they aren’t ready for that yet,” Cappello said.

Because of the freedom, the seniors have decided to add a more musical component to their plays. Breckenridge explains that in one scene of “Where the Wild Things Are”, they pass out instruments to the students so they can join in with the “Wild Rumpus”.

“We have everyone playing instruments, banging around, jumping up and down and singing along. I’m holding the stick and just conducting everything along,” Breckenridge said.

Breckenridge says that she has really enjoyed being in the Advanced Repertory classes and had been looking forward to the class ever since she came to East. She says that the class not only has helped her with acting and becoming a better actress, but also by shaping her as a person.

“For a job application I recently had, they asked for leadership roles and so that putting in that I directed a Frequent Friday. I’ve actually gotten quite a few jobs from the fact that they know I can handle leadership,” Breckenridge said. “I’ve learned time management and how to get my ideas across in a way that people could actually understand.”

The class’ relationship with each other will be something that they’ll have for the rest of their lives. These seniors have stuck together through all four years.

“Not only are we kind of each other’s peers in the class, but we’re also just a close, tight-knit group of friends,” Breckenridge explained. “Anything stressful that happens outside of class, they know that they can just come here and just talk about it.”

Advanced Repertory has and will continue to have an impact on the students. It’s not just another class, it’s seventh hour Advanced Repertory.

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The plays will be held April 13 at the elementary schools Belinder, Westwood View, Corinth, Prairie, and Briarwood where they’ll perform for roughly 100 kids. The first performance is held at 8:30 and the last is at 1:30.

To watch all the Advanced Repertory students’ Frequent Fridays, click here.