Students looking for a place to express themselves and their curiosity are taking on Fauquier High School’s (FHS) theatre class by storm. Theatre welcomes high energy, big ideas and skill into the community and acts as a safe space for any student. The class focuses on speaking, acting and social skills while also educating students on stage directions and how a theatre works.

The new theatre teacher, April Poland, makes the class an enjoyable experience for the students. “She [is] a very good teacher, she tries to help everyone in their own spaces and overall is a positive presence,” said sophomore Anthony Simpson, “it’s a very welcoming environment,” he adds. Poland’s positive attitude and drive for her students to learn creates an ambitious theatre environment that has everyone happy. Students have said that Poland is a very performative individual, making the class lively and entertaining. “I want them to question themselves, to study their own nature, [and] to learn how to be more collaborative with each other,” Poland states.

A typical day will incorporate interactive work and different educational games. Classroom activities consist of “monologues, projects, and improv work,” junior Kyle Eldrege adds. Sometimes the class will take a visit to the “blackbox”, which is a room where most of the acting will take place. In the blackbox, students will play games and practice their acting.. “We [will]] do more technical projects like designing for costumes, designing lights, designing tech [and] designing props,” Poland explains. This ensures students will learn how the stage works with the opportunity of being on the stage as well.

FHS’s theatre class has a welcoming atmosphere. The work is said to be challenging, but can be very enjoyable and fit for students who’d want a career in entertainment. There is never a dull moment in theatre and it’s an outlet for creativity. Students don’t have to be a qualified actor as theatre class is a great place to learn.