From the desk of Glenn Ballard, Fine Arts Director:

We are only one month into the new school year, and already the Fine Arts program has four major productions in preparation. So let this be your official SAVE THE DATE invitation.

First up is our 19^th annual Fall Dinner Theatre, scheduled for October 27-29. This year’s offering is a farce by playwright Michal Jacot titled “Tangled Webbs.” It is about a wealthy and eccentric family preparing for the wedding of the oldest brother, Alex Webb (Justin Powell). But as preparations for the wedding are being finalized a surprise shows up in the form of Donald Webb (Kyle Webb), a long-lost brother given up for adoption at his birth years ago. Add a greedy sister (Chloe McKinley, Audrey Mackey) that doesn’t want to share the family fortune, another brother who believes he is from outer-space (Andrew Shaw), a dimwitted lawyer (Alex Ellis), a doting mother (Chesley Kelly, Elaina Yeager), a sweet-as-sugar fiancée (Audrey Mackey, Elaina Yeager) and a cranky old butler (Bailey Gunter)… all eager to find their place in the family, then add a surprise twist ending and you have a show that will please everyone.

I am very grateful to our 2016 Dinner Theatre sponsor, Paul and Susan Webb. The cast is deep into the rehearsal process, sets and props are coming together, and tickets will go on sale by October 1.

As soon as the final curtain falls on the Dinner Theatre, we will be competing in the annual TAPPS One Act Play contest on November 3 at the Prince of Peace School in Carrollton. The contest play is called “Who Am I This Time?” and is a wonderful script I have been wanting to direct for about ten years now. I am so thankful that this year I have a group of students who love the script as much as I do. We are already rehearsing this play as well, and will present a public performance in the Commons on Tuesday night, November 1 before we head to Carrolton on Thursday, the 3^rd of November.

The Middle School Drama class is also working on a very funny one act play called “The Great Pandemonium,” about a small school cast going through a “tech rehearsal,” in which everything that can possibly go wrong, does. Our goal is to have this play ready to perform before Thanksgiving break, and to do so on a night when the Middle School Choir will join us for an evening of music and theatrical fun. Stay tuned for more details.

And last on the list, but just the list for this semester, is an extraordinary event planned for Monday night, December 5^th. In the place of our traditional “Christmas at the Brook” concert, SOFA and the Fine Arts Department will host an enchanted Renaissance-style Madrigal Dinner as the First Celebration of our school’s twentieth anniversary. Full period costumes, glorious music featuring our own Chorale as the Royal Court, a Jester, as well as the Orchestra, guitar and jazz band students, dancers, visual arts and The King’s Players from the drama class, and all of this along with a sumptuous meal served by the King’s servants. I guarantee, you will not want to miss this amazing evening of food, frivolity, fellowship and fun. Save this date for certain. Seating will be limited, and will go quickly so plan to make your reservation when tickets go on sale November 7.

As always, SOFA is looking for people who want to support our mission by volunteering to help. If you are in that number, please give me a call and we’ll chat about opportunities for you to be a part of the phenomenal Fine Arts programs.