This fall, middle school students opened the 2024-25 theater season on Friday, November 8, with “Broadway Lights!” – a lively showcase celebrating the magic of American musical theater. 

Unlike a traditional play with a single storyline, the show featured a variety of musical numbers, scenes, monologues, and duets spanning several decades of Broadway. This unique revue-style format allowed students to explore different facets of performance and learn from one another in new and exciting ways.

The new concept emerged from faculty observations and student feedback, explained Musical Director Eleanor Bach. 

"We found that most students enjoyed productions that included music, singing, and dancing, as opposed to a straight play format," she said.

Students enjoyed the flexible structure of the revue-style show, which allowed them to choose the performances they were most excited about. 

“If you liked speaking, you could do a monologue, or if you liked singing, you could do a solo or a group number,” said Ella McKee ’29. “I had to learn seven songs, but since it was something I enjoyed doing, I had fun learning it.”
Director Amy Darnton elaborated on the decision to showcase pieces from a wide range of Broadway shows. “We didn’t stick to one theme. Our goal was to expose students to diverse pieces from various decades to deepen their appreciation for the genre as a whole,” she shared. 

During the audition process, students were asked to express their interest in performing a monologue, solo, or duet. Darnton and Bach used the responses to curate a list of works for cast members to choose from, fostering an even stronger sense of ownership and creativity. 

Additionally, the format allowed for a more flexible rehearsal schedule than traditional plays, as it didn’t require the full cast to be present for every session. Instead, students could practice in smaller groups or as solo performers, making it easier to fit rehearsals around their busy schedules and focus on personalized coaching. This segmented approach enabled students to refine individual scenes separately before assembling the complete show during Tech Week.
The non-linear process did come with its own unique challenges. Without a traditional storyline, some students found it difficult to envision how each piece would contribute to the final performance. 

Throughout the rehearsal process, Bach and Darnton worked to focus the students' attention on using expressive movement and vocal delivery to bring each character to life independently, ultimately enriching their understanding of character portrayal.

New King student Cooper Kaplan ’30, shared how the format allowed for creativity that he hadn’t experienced in other productions. 

“I’ve done around 15 productions outside of King,” he explained. “I really liked the structure of not having one character. I could be more flexible, unlike my other shows in which I had to keep up a certain personality the whole time.”

For Grade 8 student Camille Bley, who has been part of King Productions since Grade 6, the opportunity to mentor younger students was appreciated. "I loved helping the younger kids and making them feel like they are part of the show because sometimes it can be nerve-wracking performing in front of others, especially older kids,” Camille shared.

Reflecting on the students’ growth, Darnton was impressed with how they embraced the new format and found ways to bring the characters of each piece to life without a traditional script to lean on.

“We were proud of how far many of them came and are sure their new understandings will benefit them in future productions.”