All Things Piratical

photo by Tanja Mamas

One of the best things about being a faculty member is that I sometimes get to learn from and with our students.  This occurred recently when I was asked to become a member of the pirate chorus in our middle school musical, The Pirates of Penzance, Jr.  As a student, I shunned any opportunities to be on stage.  Like many young people, I was terrified of appearing foolish to my peers.  Over the years, I conquered those fears and often relish the irony of being the assistant principal who does goofy things like disco dancing in the hallways, so I was excited to join the fun.  

I have had a couple of brief cameos in past plays, and I expected my pirate part to be a quick wave and laugh.  However, I attended my first practice a couple of weeks before the performance date and was startled to find that I actually had to sing and act in several numbers.  While I am egocentric enough to be in our middle school play, I’m not quite so needy as to have to recount my struggles learning lines or figuring out drama jargon.  I will simply say that I spent a lot of time working on the play over the past several weeks, and my wife and kids are grateful not to have to listen to “A Rollicking Band Of Pirates We” in the car anymore.

I had always known that working on the play was a special thing for the students involved, but I never really realized how special.  After a couple of weeks of practices, a dress rehearsal, and an actual performance, I felt like I was accepted as just another one of the actors.  The students and I joked together, chatted at times when we should have been listening to direction, sang the silly warm-up riffs, drank imaginary “pirate sherry,”  put on lipstick, and stood side-by-side on the stage.  A student and I got to take a few swings at each other in a fight scene, and he had a blast pretending to pummel me.  (I think he may have taken a little too much joy in this).  

From being a regular cast member, I got to understand the team spirit involved in the production.  I have heard all about egos and prima donnas in acting circles, but there was none of that happening on our set.  The tech crew, actors, directors, costumers, and make-up “moms” all supported the primary mission, and all worked together to put on the best play possible.  What is so amazing to me is that everyone knew their respective parts so well that the play would have been a success without any adults present during the performance.  This is not to discount the wonderful direction of Mandy Bean and Beth Heinberg, the costume work of Susan Mycroft, or the talents of tech master, Mike Congleton, but rather to extol their great leadership by bringing a group of middle school students and a bumbling administrator to a place of independence and competence.

This play is a brilliant microcosm of the skills we value in our middle school.  While there may be some external motivation like applause, the students’ participation as a member of the crew or cast is voluntary.  Most of the students like it because it involves them in something that is much bigger than themselves.  We challenge our students to get involved, to form relationships, to achieve something of value, and to gain confidence and strength of character.  It is difficult for me think of a better venue for them to practice and gain these attributes.

I received a professional and personal gift this year by being allowed to become a student in my own school.  If anything, my involvement with Pirates of Penzance, Jr. raised my respect for what we accomplish on a daily basis within our community.  And, yes, Elizabeth, I will shave off my scrubby beard!