Welcome to PLAYBILLDER Spotlight, where Playbill highlights shows from educational institutions or regional theatres and special events around the country (who have used Playbill's program-building service). By welcoming these PLAYBILLDERs center stage, we hope to give our readers a more in-depth look at theatre programs that are fostering the love of the performing arts in the next generation and the way theatre lovers are bringing Playbill along for life's big moments.
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This week's Spotlight is St. Pius X - St. Matthias Academy of Downey, California, and their production of Tartuffe. The classic comedic play by Molière sees Tartuffe fake piety to gain the trust and affection of the patriarch, Orgon, of the family with which he stays. Orgon's blindness for and adoration of Tartuffe threatens to tear his family apart, so the family plots to expose Tartuffe's dishonesty to bring peace to their household and secure their future.
Visual & Performing Arts Teacher and Theatre Director Jonathan Sims shared with Playbill how Tartuffe speaks to contemporary audiences, where in the world he hopes to take his students, and in which fields students get "expert" level guidance.
Tell us a little about yourself. How many years have you been teaching?
Jonathan Sims: I've been teaching high school theatre for about 11 years now.
Can you share a little bit about the value you see in having a performing arts program in schools?
I believe performing arts, and the arts in general, are so pivotal to us understanding the human condition and further understanding each other. It's so valuable for students to encounter works that challenge them to embody someone else's existence and gain a wider understanding, appreciation, and empathy for those around them.
What are your dreams for how your drama department can grow?
Our students work incredibly hard and we'd love to continue to build the program into something that matches the time and effort they put in: offering more opportunities to perform and see professional theatre including student-directed shows, trips to Broadway, the West End, and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Tell us a little bit about the production. What made you pick the show? How do you choose shows for your students?
In choosing shows, we always try to pick challenging works that will helps our students not only grow as artists, but also as human beings. The material and style of Tartuffe greatly challenges students. We also wanted to choose a show that speaks to a very real aspect of our society today, which is putting blind faith in people who know how to behave one way in order to hide their true natures.
What are the kids loving about the show?
Our students are loving engaging with this very specific form of comedy and really finding everything they can within it. With each performance, they get more and more confident in trying new things and allowing themselves to just go for it!
How did the students participate in the design or production of your show?
Students are involved in every aspect of our production, whether that be designing the set, building and bringing those designs to life, running the lights and sound from the tech booth during productions, stage managing, organizing costumes, doing hair and makeup, and even student directing. Students work closely with teaching artists, professionals in their fields, to learn how to work in these different positions at an expert level.
How has PLAYBILLDER impacted your performing arts program as a resource? PLAYBILLDER has added an extra level of professionalism to our productions, having well laid out programs. Our audiences love having such a well-done, hard copy program to take home. We've even had patrons ask students to autograph them after shows!
To design Broadway-quality programs for your next show, head to PLAYBILLDER.com. Who knows, you might just be featured in our next PLAYBILLDER Spotlight! And if you are looking for a beautiful way to display your Playbills, click here to purchase Playbill frames.
