In the few short years that the school has been open, the theatre department has accomplished many extraordinary things. The school has taken its fall play to the state convention twice. The plays that have made it all the way to state have been “The Laramie Project” and “Hamlet.”  The actors consider themselves  lucky to have a director as experienced and creative as Dan Schmidt.  That reputation brings students from other Blue Valley Schools.

This year the theatre department welcomed four new transfer students. Three of the performers came from Blue Valley High — juniors Lauren Browning, Sam Kalmus  and Zach Miller. The three were all friends previous to transferring to the school. Senior Melissa Rakos also decided to transfer from Blue Valley Northwest for the theatre program. These four actors find themselves adjusting well to the theatre department and to the Timberwolf atmosphere.

| donnaarmstrong

-“I think they have really brought a different level to our program because a lot of our transfers came in with an excitement about improv.”      | senioramandamiller

-“With the new kids, it’s really cool, because they bring a new dynamic, kind of like fresh blood, that you’ve never really gotten to work with.”         | seniorcalebjenkins

-“I believe having new students has really made us come together as one group.”              |juniorbreaclemons

Q & A

Q: Was deciding to transfer an easy or hard decision?

A: I thought about it for a really long time, but once I made the decision, it was really easy. I sat down and made a pros and cons list, and I showed it to my brother, and he was like, “All your cons are fake — go to Southwest.” I realized that I had been subconsciously telling myself it wasn’t a good decision, but it was the best decision I could make.

Q: What about Mr. Schmidt  makes him a good theater director?

A: He seizes every opportunity to teach and he takes the time to stop and explain something and you have that ‘eureka!’ or ‘ah-hah moment,’ and it’s so powerful when you finally get it. Sometimes it’s something as simple as, “Stop, say that again” because he sees you’re almost there, and he can phrase a question in a way that makes you understand so much more of the craft. We spent a lot of the first week of school talking about why we do theater, and just having that clarity has helped drive me so much this year. Everything about how he directs is wonderful.

-Junior, Lauren Browning

Q: How were you introduced to the Southwest theatre department?

A: I saw “Hamlet” at State last year, and I thought it was amazing. Then, [senior] Caleb Jenkins and Mr. Schmidt contacted me at the end of the year asking me to do the summer show, “The Tempest,” so I auditioned for that and I got Ferdinand, who was one of the leads, and I just had a chance to have Mr. Schmidt direct me and be in a show with a lot of the people that I would be going to school with, so that was really neat, especially feeling the different directing style.

Q: What about the theater department is appealing at Southwest?

A: Mr. Schmidt focuses more on his students futures’ in acting, past the high school level, so he helps with college auditions , and he has a lot of connections beyond high school, so that was really cool.

-Junior, Zach Miller

Q: What made you want to transfer to Southwest?

A: Even though I don’t want to pursue theatre in the future, it’s something that I have a passion for and that I enjoy doing and that I just like to have under my belt at full experience. I fell in love with Schmidt and his program freshman year. I have a lot of set friends here that I were really good friends with in middle school. And a lot of the people here are really friendly, and the school is just beautiful, and I just really wanted to be a part of this whole thing you guys got going on.

Q: What about the Southwest theatre department is appealing to you?

A: Schmidt for one is great; he is so personable, he really cares about his students, and he is a brilliant teacher. Not only is he a phenomenal actor, he is also a great teacher, and I just love how he really takes students under his wing to teach them everything… And so coming here where people are actually like, “Oh yeah theatre — that’s fine” gets it recognition.

-Senior, Melissa Rakos

Q: Is Southwest what you expected?

A: It’s been, if anything, better. I just thought it was a cool school and a cool place to be, and now that I’m in here, everybody’s just so welcoming. It’s better than I expected.

Q: What about Mr. Schmidt makes him a good theater director?

A: Not everybody gets a gold star and he’s honest. He gives his honest opinion, and it helps you grow as an actor. He doesn’t sugarcoat it; he just gives it to you as it is. It’s a humbling experience. It helps you put everything in perspective. It’s awesome because that’s what I’ve been wanting my entire high school experience.

-Junior, Sam Kalmus

photos by Lauren York