Celebrating Theatre in Our Schools Month!
Plus, your weekly round-up of theatre news you may have missed!
Welcome to The Scene, your weekly round-up of theatre news you may have missed. In this week’s email,
We celebrate Theatre In Our Schools Month by discovering the transformative power of theatre education, honoring dedicated educators, and exploring creative ways to inspire students in your classroom.
We have another new Shows You Should Know selection from Host of The Scene: Podcast and Theatre Tiktoker Justin Borak!
The latest free read from Playscripts: Empowered: How One Girl Scout Nearly Destroyed the World's Economy by Don Zolidis.
So, raise the curtain and shine the spotlight as we dive into another thrilling week in the theatre world. Welcome to The Scene.
Kelli O'Hara, Rocky Horror, Rose Byrne, More Part of Roundabout's 2025-2026 Broadway Season by Margaret Hall, Playbill | Programming for Roundabout's Off-Broadway season will include Rajiv Joseph's Archduke and Alex Lin's Chinese Republicans. Read...
After a Decade Away, ‘Mamma Mia!’ Is Returning to Broadway This Summer by Michael Paulson, The New York Times | The musical’s original run was the ninth-longest in Broadway history; a six-month return engagement will start in August. Read...
Sadie Sink Heads Back to School, This Time on Broadway by Amanda Hess, The New York Times | In “John Proctor Is the Villain,” the actress is among a group of students studying “The Crucible,” just as the #MeToo movement tears through their classroom. Read...
Nick Jonas and Adrienne Warren Are Ready to Break Your Heart in The Last Five Years by Marley Marius, Vogue | When, in 2013, The New York Times sounded a call for stories from fans of The Last Five Years—a show with music, lyrics, and a book by Jason Robert Brown—the responses were many and deep. Read...
Jack O’Brien and André Bishop’s Final Duet at Lincoln Center Theater by Rob Weinert-Kendt, American Theatre | With an intimate new staging of Ibsen’s thorny ‘Ghosts,’ the versatile director and seasoned producer, who’s nearing the end of his LCT tenure, are not going quietly. Read...
Just Before It Was a Cult Film, ‘Rocky Horror Show’ Was a Broadway Flop by Laura Collins-Hughes, The New York Times | Tim Curry and colleagues recall the musical’s misadventure at the Belasco Theater in 1975. Read...
Why Does Every Play Seem Political Now? by Mark Harris, The New York Times | Theater about current events — both literally and abstractly — is changing the conversation between playwrights, directors and their audiences. Read...
The Shubert Organization Internship Program 2025 Now Accepting Applications by Chloe Rabinowitz, Broadway World | The 2025 program will run July 7 through August 15, and the application deadline is March 21, 2025. Read...
Big Idea Story
Celebrating Theatre In Our Schools Month!
by Zach Dulli, The Scene
March is Theatre In Our Schools Month! A time of the year when theatre educators, students, and enthusiasts nationwide join forces to showcase and celebrate the incredible, life-changing magic of theatre education. Whether you’re feeling the thrill of opening night or sharing laughs during weekend set builds, you know theatre isn’t just another extracurricular—it’s the heartbeat of your school, inspiring empathy, discipline, teamwork, and courage. It’s your month to shine, so cue the lights and raise the curtain—let’s celebrate theatre in our schools!
Why Theatre is Essential in Every School
From epic Greek amphitheaters to today’s dazzling Broadway productions, storytelling has always been central to the human experience. As theatre educators, you’re not just teaching drama—you’re cultivating critical life skills. Your students don’t merely memorize lines; they master communication, navigate tight deadlines, and develop a level of responsibility and resourcefulness that sets them apart. Theatre education prepares students to handle real-world pressures, balancing demanding rehearsal schedules with academic commitments, from costume fittings to calculus quizzes.
But theatre’s most extraordinary gift might be the way it builds empathy. Each time your students step into another character’s shoes, they gain fresh perspectives, opening their hearts and minds to understand lives beyond their own. In an increasingly diverse and interconnected world, theatre education is more important than ever—equipping students with the empathy and insight needed to thrive.
Honoring Our Theatre Educators
Behind every curtain call and standing ovation is a theatre educator—part visionary, part miracle worker. You transform limited budgets and donated costumes into spectacular productions worthy of a Broadway marquee. You stay late painting sets, rehearse tirelessly to perfect comedic timing, and manage every teenage drama (on and off stage) with patience and humor. Your dedication sparks creativity in your students and excitement throughout your community. You are the unsung heroes of the arts—and this month, we celebrate you.
Ways to Celebrate Theatre In Our Schools Month
Looking for ideas to make this year's Theatre In Our Schools Month unforgettable? Here are eight exciting, easy-to-implement activities designed to spark creativity, inspire students, and highlight the amazing work happening in your classroom. Whether you're a seasoned theatre educator or just stepping into the spotlight, these suggestions will help you celebrate theatre education in engaging and memorable ways.
Host a Quick-Draw Play Reading: No time for an epic musical? No problem. Choose a single scene—Shakespeare, a modern drama, or something with a dash of comedy. Have your students read it out loud and watch them level up their reading comprehension and on-the-spot creativity.
Cross-Curriculum Collabs: Team up with other departments for a day. Reenact a revolutionary war debate in History or stage a courtroom drama based on a classic novel in English class. Not only will you expose more students to theatre, but you might also discover a few fellow educators just waiting for the right time to express their love for the stage!
Design It, Build It, Live It: Theatre extends beyond the spotlight. Inspire students to draft costume concepts or build scaled set pieces, letting them flex their creative muscles in real time. Not only will they refine their resourcefulness, but they’ll also uncover the myriad offstage opportunities theatre has to offer.
Bring in the Experts: Know any local actors, directors, or stage managers nearby? Invite them for a Q&A session. They’ve weathered costume mishaps, prop disasters, and frantic script rewrites—stories that can spark inspiration and provide invaluable insight for the next wave of theatre talent.
Make It a Trip—Physical or Virtual: If your budget and timetable line up, bring your class to a local or regional theatre performance. If not, explore a top-notch streamed show. Afterwards, convene for a lively discussion on the production’s staging, costume design, and the playwright’s core messages.
Attend a Neighboring School’s Spring Show: If the budget doesn’t stretch to a professional production, show your support by catching another school’s spring musical or play. Your students will pick up fresh perspectives, and in turn, that school might come to see your production—building a community of shared theatrical excitement.
Dive into Theatre’s Origins: Devote a day to exploring how drama debuted in Ancient Greek amphitheaters, evolved through the Renaissance, and eventually blossomed into the show-stopping musicals we still belt out in the car. Let’s be honest: few history lessons rival the spectacle of a Greek chorus.
Showcase Your Stars: End the month with a bit of show-and-tell—open mic style. Let students perform monologues, scenes, or songs. Invite parents, friends, and anyone else itching for good, old-fashioned entertainment, because no matter how big or small the stage, an audience always adds that crucial bit of theatrical electricity.
Curtain Call
As we celebrate, Theatre In Our Schools Month, take pride in knowing your work's profound impact—not just on your students, but your entire community. Theatre education isn’t merely about putting on a great show; it’s about shaping compassionate, confident, resilient individuals ready to take on the world.
So, here’s to the educators who inspire, the students who dream big, and the magic you create together every day. The spotlight is yours—enjoy every moment.
Break a leg!
Shows You Should Know
Emily of New Moon adapted by Cynthia Mercati
About: Emily of New Moon, adapted for the stage by Cynthia Mercati from Lucy Maud Montgomery’s novel, centers on the imaginative Emily Starr—a young girl raised in near seclusion by her father at The Hollows. Emily possesses what she calls “The Sight,” granting her glimpses into both the past and the future. Through Mercati’s deft adaptation, the pastoral charm and gentle mysticism that define Montgomery’s works—especially the cherished Anne of Green Gables—come alive in full force. Complete with a large ensemble and an authentically rural atmosphere, this play makes an ideal choice for theatre programs seeking a meaningful collaboration with English departments. It stands as a stirring homage to one of Canada’s most influential literary voices.
Rating: PG | Casting: 14W, 7M, 21 Any (21 actors possible: 12-14 W, 3-7 M) | Genre: Comedy | Run-Time: 2 Hours.
Click here to learn more about Emily of New Moon. And don’t forget to check out The Scene Podcast!
Mischief Theatre to Bring Christmas Carol Goes Wrong to London's West End by Margaret Hall, Playbill | The brand new comedy from the Play That Goes Wrong creators brings the chaos and humor of The Cornley Amateur Drama Society to the work of Charles Dickens. Read...
Who will buy if AI picks our pockets for free? by Cameron Mackintosh, The Times | Sir Cameron Mackintosh has created shows such as Les Misérables and The Phantom of the Opera. He thinks Labour’s proposed copyright laws reforms are deplorable. Read...
Fiddler on the Roof, Great Comet Lead 2025 Olivier Nominations; Read the Full List by Logan Culwell-Block, Playbill | London's top theatrical honors will be awarded April 6 at Royal Albert Hall. Read...
Joe DiPietro's F**king Men to Return to London by Margaret Hall, Playbill | Inspired by Schnitzler's La Ronde, DiPietro's play reimagines the tale of sexual power, discovery, and exploration in the context of today’s gay scene. Read...
Public Theater, New York Theatre Workshop, More Speak Up Against Trump's Anti-DEI Measures by Diep Tran, Playbill | As the National Endowment for the Arts restricts funding for organizations that fund DEI programs, the theatres reaffirm their commitment to diversity while the ACLU files a lawsuit. Read...
Linda Purl to Star in Crazy Mama at California's Rubicon Theatre Company by Molly Higgins, Playbill | Purl will play 16 characters in the solo show, with Anson Williams directing. Read...
Wendell Pierce-Led Othello, U.S. Premiere of Hamnet, More in Upcoming Shakespeare Theatre Company Season by Logan Culwell-Block, Playbill | The Washington D.C. company will also present a new revival of Guys and Dolls with choreography by Joshua Bergasse. Read...
‘Hamilton’ Cancels Kennedy Center Run After Trump Takeover by Caitlin Huston, The Hollywood Reporter | Producer Jeffrey Seller said the show could not participate in the "new culture" of the institution. Read...
Free Reads of the Week
Read entire plays for free! Playscripts offers a selection of full-length and one-act plays that you can access for free, which is ideal for use in theatre productions, school performances, or competitions. To explore these titles, click on the cover image below or select the "READ FOR FREE" button at the bottom of this section. This action will direct you to the play's page on the Playscripts website. Once there, click "READ NOW" to begin enjoying the play immediately!
Empowered: How One Girl Scout Nearly Destroyed the World's Economy by Don Zolidis
The Story: Amaryllis is determined to win her Girl Scout troop's cookie-selling contest, but she'll need more than charm to win first prize (a unicorn!) and avoid last place (which means getting kicked out of the troop!). So when sales droop, she naturally turns to the financial sector for advice. Soon she's faking a terminal illness, franchising her methods, and contracting with a payday lender to offer 30-year loans for cookies. A hysterical homage to Glengarry Glen Ross and send-up of the wild excesses of the financial crisis.
Casting: 13 W, 3 M, 8 Any (10-30 actors possible: 7-21 W, 3-11 M) | Genre: Comedy | Run-Time: 100 - 110 minutes | Set: Minimal
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Such a wonderful celebration of theatre in schools! The impact of the arts on students’ creativity, confidence, and collaboration skills can’t be overstated. Great to see this recognition!