In Support of the Fall Play

Thespian Troupe #98, FM's theater club.

To Whom It May Concern,

I am dismayed to hear that the Fayetteville-Manlius High School fall play has been canceled this year. I am writing to ask you to reinstate the play as quickly as possible.

In high school, acting in the fall play was my most cherished extracurricular activity, and ultimately, my career choice. The play creates a close-knit group of like-minded students who learn to cooperate, collaborate, and develop something out of nothing. It encourages creative solutions to complex problems and brings shy students out of their shells. Most importantly, it provides a very different outlet from the musical, which is often too monolithic to allow individual students' voices and input to be heard and taken into serious consideration. The play is more intimate, more serious, and gives more opportunities for legitimate acting training.

Performing, and acting in particular, supplies students with invaluable skills later in life. From basic self-confidence to the art of public speaking, students develop and mature in extraordinary ways through theater. Since graduating from FM, I have used my acting training in many unlikely ways, from studying to be a professional actor to working in national political offices and presiding over college clubs. I would not be the self-confident, forthright, creative person I am today, were it not for my passion for acting and the outlets which FM gave me to explore and expand that passion.

Finally, I would like to say a word about Scott Austin, FM's drama teacher for the past five years. Scott is an open-minded, wildly creative young man, and a tough yet thoughtful teacher. Under his guidance, the fall play was reimagined into something which students create from the ground up, considering characters' motivation and blocking their own scenes in complex, thought-provoking theater pieces. Scott deserves better than to lose the fall play which I know he loves. I am ashamed that FM would treat such a great man so poorly.

I sincerely hope that you will reinstate the fall play, if not this year, then certainly next year and in the years to come. Schools of lesser economic capability often are forced to cut theater and art programs; FM is better than that. Please do not deny FM's gifted students the chance to grow and thrive through theater.

Sincerely,

Mary Byrne
If you are familiar with FM's fall play, please write a similar letter of support. Molly Linhorst, an FM senior, is collecting the letters. Contact her at maggiel408@yahoo.com.