Middle School Thespians Perform Comedy Play

Concordia Middle School students have carried on our school’s dramatic traditions this year with a performance of the play entitled 15 Reasons Not To Be In A Play

Written by Alan Haehnel, the one-act play is a humorous take on the world of drama and presents a range of reasons, from logical to ludicrous, why a person might not be able to be in a play.

Middle School Principal Mr. McDaniel explained how drama is such an important part of Concordia's Middle School curriculum. 

“The performance of 15 Reasons Not to be in a Play was not only well done but also quite humorous, showcasing the incredible talent of our Middle School students. It is exciting to see our young performers embrace the art of theater, allowing them to express their passions and creativity in such a vibrant way. I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to our Middle School Counselor, Mrs. Linda Bloemberg, for her exceptional leadership and direction throughout this production. Her dedication and vision played a pivotal role in bringing this performance to life. This play is yet another testament to the holistic educational experience we strive to provide at Concordia International School Hanoi. At Concordia, we are committed to nurturing our students' artistic talents alongside their academic pursuits, ensuring they develop into well-rounded individuals who make positive contributions to our community and beyond!”

Some of the actors shared their thoughts on the play with The Thunderbolt

“One thing I really enjoyed was making the audience laugh, because I like making people laugh. And at the moment when I was onstage it made me feel like all my dreams just came true,” said Minh Trang (G6).

“Joining the play helped me improve my speaking skills and my self esteem,” said Dat (G8)

“I loved being in this play, especially because I got to work with a cast with such an explosive diversity of personalities. With them, I could be silly and experiment. Through acting in the play, I learned to do things I would normally be scared or embarrassed to do,” said Linh (G8). 

“The play itself was a magical experience, because you're really starting everything from scratch: you're making your own play, you're making your own costumes, your props and preparing all of that for months. So then being able to present it in front of the audience was such an inspiring and magical experience. I would definitely do drama again; you may recall in the play reason 15 was that being in a play is such a mesmerizing experience that you'll get addicted, and it’s true - I myself have come to love the feeling of performing on stage,” said Yeonu (G8)


The Thunderbolt also spoke with Mrs. Bloemberg, who directed and produced the play, about the performance. 

Why did you choose this play?
“This is a fairly simple script that is VERY Middle School appropriate in content. I prefer comedies when working with Middle School as they were laughing at every rehearsal. There is power in that.”

What was the most fun?
“Watching the students embrace their roles and help one another. Seeing my Grade 8’s work in small groups with the Grade 6’s is fun, but also super inspiring. Fine Arts is not always a place where peer leadership is well defined, but that was definitely evident in this cast and this production.”

What was the biggest surprise?
“Even through the dress rehearsal, the cast kept adding more and more humorous bits that were never scripted but became very much a part of their version of this script. Giving them the freedom to not only suggest but integrate their own ideas makes it all worthwhile.

“I am so proud of this small group of thespians who have learned to work together in this performance. They worked very hard, so it was extremely rewarding watching them enjoy being in a play, and watching the audience enjoy it with them.”

Learn more about Concordia’s Middle School program

 

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