Closing the Curtains

Indian Hills Middle School performance teacher and musical director Cheryl Hodges-Thrutchley announced after Spring Break that she will be directing her last Indian Hills production of “Aladdin” on May 5.

After 20 years of teaching at IHMS, Thrutchley decided that she needed a “renewment” — the word she uses in place of “retirement”. Frances Opheim, a performance student teacher and co-performing arts director this year at Blue Valley High School, will be filling Thrutchley’s position beginning in August.

Thrutchley casted IHMS and SME alum, Maddie Hise, as the villain in the “Thoroughly Modern Millie” in her 8th grade musical. Little did Hise know her three younger siblings would follow in her musical theater path.

“We all had this common thread of going through the all day Saturday rehearsals, running through lines with each other and singing,” Hise said.

If it weren’t for Thrutchley, Hise said she would have never created the special bond of middle school musicals with her siblings.

To capture sentiments such as Hise’s, assistant musical director, Jill Smith, is creating and sending a video to Thrutchley with clips from past and present students showing their appreciation for her.

According to Indian Hills Associate Principal Blake Revelle, Thrutchley truly embodied what it means to be a “master teacher.” He said she was always engaging her students in the world of theater, whether in being classroom plays or improvisation, transcending the scenarios from the normal classroom to places like outer space.

When leaving her class, Revelle said students look forward to returning for the next improvisational session or comedy monologue rehearsals.

“Mrs. Hodges-Thrutchley truly cares about students first,” Revelle said. “Every student she comes in contact with comes out of her class not only as a better performer, but also as a better person.”

Freshman Lily Utt, a lead in IHMS productions of “Anything Goes” and “Hairspray” in 2017 and 2018, said Thrutchley’s interest in helping her is one reason she is still involved in theater. Thrutchley’s support included helping Utt portray Amber Von Tussle and Reno Sweeney to the best of her ability with details as minor as hand gestures and which direction to bow.

“By doing the Indian Hills musicals I was able to make a lot of new friends which spiked my interest in theater,” Utt said. “She has helped me grow to love it.”

Prior to auditioning for the Indian Hills production of “Grease” in 2014, senior Jackson Bush, then an eighth grader, had never considered theater. However, he was looking for a way to get involved with the school. When singing during his audition, Bush said he saw Thrutchley’s jaw drop — she was one of the first people to be impressed with his voice.

Thrutchley would repeat a scene until every character knew their lines by heart and run the show again and again during Saturday morning rehearsals — a testament to her dedication, Bush said.

“When I was in the show, I liked how she spent lots of time with each individual person and made sure they knew what they were doing,” Bush said.

When Thrutchley retires she is looking forward to traveling, spending time with family and friends and seeing her past students in theatrical productions. In addition, she wants to stay involved with IHMS by attending future productions and keeping in touch with staff.

Revelle believes that Opheim, the new director, will carry on the Indian Hills theater program well and will add her own twist to the performance classes and musicals.

“Mrs. Hodges Thrutchley has tremendous qualities of a director that separate her from others in the field,” Revelle said. “Our new director will also have tremendous qualities that separate her from the field. The experience will come with time.”

Thrutchleys hates to say goodbye to the school that holds her whole teaching career, but knows the performance and theater programs will be in good hands when Opheim fills her position.