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It’s turning into an annual spring tradition as the 1212 play brings another taste of Saturday Night Live comedy to campus. Wicked Sketchy is an original production made up of sketches, written and performed by students. For this third production, Wicked Sketchy veterans Mack Makishima (I), Alex Gistis (I) and Melody Tan (I) took on lead writing and directorial roles in this collaborative project. The 12-student cast pitched ideas to each other and wrote draft skits in small groups, eventually choosing the final ones, which each student had a hand in editing. Director and performing arts faculty member Peter Parisi says sketch topics range from pirates to family relationships, Greek mythology to dating, and the production includes two musical numbers.

The tradition of 91̽��’s 1212 Plays began over 30 years ago in room 1212 of Warren Hall. The performances evolved from play readings to fully staged productions under the direction of late faculty member Nina Seidenman. When Warren Hall was renovated, and room 1212 became an English classroom, the productions relocated to Wigg Hall. The space may have changed, but the philosophy is the same: intimate productions with small casts, minimal technical demands, and challenging material for both actors and audience.

Performances of Wicked Sketchy begin at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, May 5 and 6, and at 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 7.

Student choreographers and dancers are hard at work finessing their performances for Winter Dance Concert, one of the most popular performance events of the year. This year’s concert includes a mix of traditional dance, modern dance, hip-hop and ballet and features 70 dancers. A jazzy tap number features a remix version of Fred Astaire’s “Puttin’ on the Ritz” and a Bollywood-style Indian dance that fills the stage. The traditional jig shoes of Irish step face off against the percussive movements of step dancers, choreographed by Chelsea Dougherty (I) and Solace Mensah-Narh (II). A dance that explores gender, by Juliana Rogoff (I) and Janice Chen (I), will feature an original composition by Talia Rubenstein (I), a first for Dance Concert. Talia and Corey Hales (I) will perform the musical piece live during the dance.

Winter Dance Concert opens in King Theatre at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 3, and Friday, March 4, and curtains go up at 7 p.m. on Saturday, March 5.

Puttin’ on the Ritz in the Dance Studio

The Speech Team had a strong showing at the 12th Annual George Mason University Patriot Game Classic in Fairfax, Virginia last weekend. Marshall Sloane (II) earned 6th place in Current Events Extemporaneous Speaking and 24th in Impromptu, Mack Makishima (I) placed 14th in Original Oratory, and Maddie Dupre (I) placed 24th in Dramatic Interpretation. This tournament brings together 3,000 competitors and coaches from 120 schools nationwide.

Nearly 40 actors take the stage in King Theatre this weekend for this year’s Class IV production, Our Town. Directed by performing arts faculty Eleza Moyer, the play transports audiences to the small fictitious town of Grover’s Corners to follow the life, love and death within two American families.

“Our Town is one of the plays that the more time you spend with it, the more you discover,” says Ms. Moyer.  “It is an exploration of the little things in life that make life worth living. It questions whether we, the human race, take the time to notice what is actually in front of us while we are living it. In a world of social media, it really reminds us of the importance of being in the present.”

A long-standing performing arts tradition, the Class IV Play is an all-inclusive and beloved class project. Class IV students not on stage are contributing behind the scenes, acting as ushers, poster designers, or joining the audience in support of their classmates. 

Our Town begins Thursday, November 19, and Friday, November 20, at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, November 21, at 7 p.m.

Tickets are on sale in Forbes during lunch or online at

 of the performance.

Speech at 91̽�� is popular—60 Middle School students and 51 Upper School students compete on two distinct teams. Many of these “speechies” achieve great success at both the regional and national level. Middle School speech team coach Debbie Simon says a key to this success is the coaching program, in which 42 Upper School students—­­current and former team members—pair up with Middle School students weekly as mentors. Middle School faculty members, parents, and Upper School speech team faculty also play important roles as Middle School speech coaches.

“Coaching a speech team takes more than a village,” says Ms. Simon. “We are a collaborative group who work together to cultivate a team of young people passionate about speech. Our coaches inspire the young speakers and help them learn to stand up in front of an audience and find their voice.”

Earlier this month, the National Speech and Debate Association (NSDA) asked Ms. Simon if she—with students and coaches—would participate in a webinar, sharing with other NSDA members around the country the success of this unique coaching program. Ms. Simon gathered the group, and they filmed the webinar from her English classroom in Ware Hall.

Mack Makishima (I), captain of the Upper School team and a national speech finalist, participated with one of his mentees—Michael George (IV), now on the Upper School team and coaching his own Middle School student.

“Mack was such an amazing coach for me; he really helped me in every way,” says Michael in the webinar. “He helped my Duo Interpretation partner and I with eye contact and how to portray certain characters. He also helped my partner and I with bonding, which is an important feature for a Duo event.”

“I had a really great Upper School coach when I was on the Middle School team,” says Mack. “He was so important in my speech career, because he taught me the artistry of speech, and he helped me develop and practice these skills.”

Marshal Sloane (II), a national junior champion, former Middle School team member, and current Upper School team member coached Adrian Hackney (IV) last year.

“When Adrian started in Impromptu last year, he was brand new to it, but it gave me an opportunity to teach someone how it works and how to formulate a speech. That naturally… helped me develop my own talents in my category of Extemporary. It was really a two-way relationship. It was a rewarding experience and I wouldn’t give that up for anything.”

Adrian, now in the Upper School, is coaching his own Middle School student. “Being an Upper School coach is very valuable—it allows me to continue my own growth but also share the gifts that Marshall gave me with someone from the Middle School and help them to grow,” says Adrian.

Isabel Alex is a Middle School team member, competing in Demonstration Speaking and Duo Interpretation.

“I’ve had two amazing Upper School coaches,” says Isabel. “They’ve pushed me forward and helped me prepare for nationals. They take time out of their busy schedules to meet with you and show you what to do. They help you progress from the beginning of the year to the very end, and it’s such a dramatic change. They dedicate their time to us so we can have our best shot.”