On Tuesday, April 30, Millbrook’s annual IB theatre showcase took place, giving a chance for friends, family, and others to get a glimpse of what IB theatre students have been working on all year. This event is an annual tradition started by Mr. Kotizan as a way to allow IB students the opportunity to practice performing in front of an audience. They were also able to practice their writing, directing, and acting skills as a way to help them understand what it is like to conduct original shows from scratch. This show was originally called From the Ground Up as a way to represent the process the students undertake to make the show possible, but now it is commonly referred to as Outdoor Drama because it is the only Millbrook theatre production to take place outside.

 Students in the four IB theatre classes consisting of juniors and seniors created original pieces to perform at this event. Unlike normal productions, students had little to no help or guidance from Mr. Kotzian to help them bring their visions to life in their own way. The show had seven original scenes, each showcasing original themes, styles, and theatre techniques. The skits also varied in genres, including comedy, horror, drama, and melodrama. These scenes were performed in the courtyard, giving the students practice with vocal techniques and projection to make sure the audience could hear them clearly. Audience members brought blankets and beach chairs to watch this event and enjoy the eighty-degree weather.

 The scenes performed were very enjoyable for the audience to watch with their very entertaining topics. Some of the scenes included a parody of The Bachelor, a murder mystery, a comedic support group scene, and science fiction robot scene. Overall, all of the scenes performed were very unique and entertaining, but the stand-out performance of the show was the finale, which left the audience on the edge of their seats. This scene was a horror scene inspired by Antonin Artaud’s Theatre of Cruelty, which aims to leave the audience uncomfortable. This scene was written and performed by a group of students from IB Theatre 1 and wowed the audience with its creepy sacrifice scene. The scene was based on the seven deadly sins, as the sins were written on the avant-garde masks the actors wore. This scene left the audience unsure on how to feel or react from the performance, signaled by the eerie silence of the crowd after, which was their goal.

 This year’s Outdoor Drama was definitely one to remember because of all the hard work and dedication the students put into their performances. Junior Isabella Wilson said, “My favorite part of the show was all of the very funny scenes. They gave me a good laugh and it was especially fun to see my all of friends perform in the show!” If you missed this event, make sure to come out next spring or attend this year’s Dance and Drama Awards, as it is the last show of the year!