Q&A with Drama Club President Eleni Stavros, Class of 2021

How long have you been a part of the club?
I am going on my seventh year in the Parker Drama Club. I joined at the start of sixth grade and I will be staying with the club until I graduate Upper School.  

How would you describe the club to your peers?
I would describe the club as a group of kids who eat, sleep, and breathe theatre. Whether it is the performance aspect or the technical work, everyone in the Drama Club is there to produce great art for the Parker community and beyond. Because we spend so much time together in rehearsals and meetings, we really are one huge family, always treating each other as equals regardless of age or grade level. The best thing about the Drama Club is that we all work hard and all share the same passion for theatre. Everyone is there because they want to perform or design, and that dedication is extremely evident in each of our members. Above anything, we just love to have fun! You can definitely expect to see us playing improv games or harmonizing on the spot because we love to play around. 

What is the club up to this summer?
Our club is extremely active during the summertime. The last week of June, some of our Upper School Drama Club members attended the first-ever Virtual International Thespian Festival and had the opportunity to take a variety of workshops and see some amazing student theatre. While those DC Members were busy at ITF, the Drama Club Officers have been busy planning our annual all-club retreat which will happen virtually at the end of August.

 

In early July, a great deal of our DC Members will be participating in “It’s Showtime” and “The World’s Your Stage,” two summer camps hosted by Parker and DC Alum Jack Morrill ’19 that are dedicated to diving into different acting and movement techniques. Throughout the summer, the Drama Club Officers will continue to work with Ms. Marinkovich (our club advisor) to come up with ways to continue creating art virtually so that by the time fall comes around, we can mount a virtual production.

What is your favorite thing about the club? 
We really are a huge family. The close bonds between everyone in the club are utterly irreplaceable. The beauty of our organization is the level of empathy and acceptance that is upheld on and offstage. As storytellers, it is primarily our job to emotionally connect with our audience through the character we portray and the designs we create. That being said, our environment must be a judgement free and supportive place for thespians wanting to take artistic risks. I can say without a doubt that the level of encouragement and trust amongst the members of the Drama Club is like no other.

Why should students join? 
Students should join the Drama Club if they want to pursue theatre as a passion and/or as a career. Many of our members intend to major in some aspect of theatre in college; however, we also have members that participate in our productions because theatre is their favorite hobby. If a student wants to create meaningful art and wants to explore the world of theatre beyond the seats in the audience, they are encouraged to join the Drama Club.

How can students join? 
The best step to take right now is to reach out to club advisor Ms. M ([email protected]) expressing your interest, so that we can put you on our mailing list. From there, you will be invited to attend our virtual August Retreat where you can learn more about the commitments of the club and what to expect as a new member.