On March 3 and 4, in a first-of-its-kind collaboration, the Conservatory of Theatre and the Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Life presented Viewpoint: Our Stories. Our Voices. Our Stage. in the School’s Ahmanson Foundation Black Box Theater. This new, original, and student-led theatrical production pulled back the curtain on the thoughts and experiences of our students and allowed them to share with the community in an entirely new way.

Led by Viewpoint School’s Theatre Department Chair Scott Feldsher, Director of Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Life Patricia Jackson, and guest artist Monica Hannush, this unique event provided an entry point into themes within Diversity and Inclusion that course through the lifeblood of the Viewpoint community. Topics included religion, gender, race, disability, romantic relationships, friendship, body image, the pressure to achieve academically, social anxiety, and more. Through the power of storytelling – using the spoken word, music, dance, and film – this production is one of the many opportunities to encourage and amplify student voices across the School’s divisions and departments.

Scott Feldsher, Chair of Theatre and Dance, said, “By using innovative workshop techniques such as verbatim theater, devised theater, collage, and adaptation, this showcase of student-generated performances will hold up a mirror to who we are at this moment in Viewpoint’s history.”

“This dynamic project challenged 23 Upper School students to explore how their experiences of culture - whether familial, communal, or global - speak to the core issues we’re facing today,” said Patricia Jackson, Director of Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Life. She added: “Today, more than ever, we all need to feel safe and empowered to share our stories and actively listen from the heart, with empathy and compassion.”