High schools offer great theater experiences

Spring Branch ISD is back in session, and for theater lovers of all ages that means it’s time to enjoy great, live high school performances ranging from upbeat musicals to crazy comedies.

The multi-award winning Stratford Playhouse has announced its 2017-2018 season, the 25th set of high school productions led by artistic director CeCe Prudhomme. Both Prudhomme and The Playhouse have won many region-level Tommy Tune Awards in those years.

“We’re excited about our season of hit shows to be performed and crewed by our Stratford High School Thespians,” Prudhomme said. “This season is full of larger-than-life characters in tales that are both epic and beloved that you are sure to enjoy. There is something for everyone.”

Stratford’s season kicks off Oct. 19 with Harvey, the Pulitzer Prize-winning comedy by Mary Chase. Harvey tells a comic story of a perfect gentleman, Elwood P. Dowd, and his best friend, Harvey, a pooka, or fairy type figure, who is a 6-feet tall, invisible rabbit.

Next up at Stratford in January 2018 is The Addams Family, an entertaining comedy that lights up the stage as family members Morticia, Gomez, Uncle Fester and Lurch try their macabre best when daughter Wednesday arrives with a suitor from the outside world. Full of satirical energy, great one-liners and superb musical numbers, Stratford’s Playhouse believes this musical is “ghoulishly good for the whole family.”

Stratford’s season will conclude next spring with Little Women, a musical version of the Louisa May Alcott classic 19th century novel. Follow sisters Jo, Meg, Beth and Amy March and their experience growing up during the Civil War era.

Next spring, Westchester students retell a tragic teenage love story that never seems to grow old, Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.

Memorial High School begins its season with the Tony-winning Peter and the Starcatcher, which upends the century-old story of how a miserable orphan comes to be The Boy Who Would Not Grow Up, a.k.a. Peter Pan.

A theatrical adaptation of best-selling novels, Peter and the Starcatcher includes a cast of stage characters that range from marauding pirates and jungle tyrants to unwilling comrades and unlikely heroes. The play dives to the depths of greed and despair and lifts up the bonds of friendship, duty and love.

Fine Arts Calendar 2017-18

The curtains are rising on another great year of fine arts events and student theater performances in Spring Branch ISD. Publicly announced events are listed below. Tickets can usually be purchased online or in person at school box offices. STAR Card holders should check with campuses or box offices to determine ticket options and opportunities.

Stratford Playhouse – www.shsplayhouse.org
Memorial High Theater – www.mhstheatre.com
Spring Woods Safari Players – www.safariplayers.com
Westchester Academy – Please visit campus website at https://cms.springbranchisd.com/wais/

October 2017

• 3, Spring Woods High/Spring Oaks MS Fall Choir Collaboration Concert, Spring Woods HS Auditorium, 6 p.m.
• 5, Spring Forest Choir Concert, Spring Forest MS Auditorium, 6:30 p.m.
• 10, Stratford HS Symphony Orchestra Honor Concert, Tallowood Baptist Church, 7:30 p.m.
• 12, Band Fall Concert and Social, Memorial MS Courtyard, 5:30 p.m.
• 12, Bobcat Playhouse’s Spookfest, Spring Forest MS Auditorium, 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.
• 12, Fall Choir Concert, Spring Oaks MS Auditorium, 5:30 p.m.
• 17, Memorial Orchestra Concert, MHS Performing Arts Center, 7 p.m.
• 19, Harvey, Stratford HS Playhouse, 7:30 p.m.
• 21-22, Harvey, Stratford HS Playhouse, 7:30 p.m.
• 24, Fall Choir Concert, Stratford High School, 7 p.m.
• 25, Fall Band Concert, Spring Oaks MS Auditorium, 5:30 p.m.
• 25, Choir Cabaret Show, Northbrook High School, 7 p.m.
• 25, Orchestra Fall Concert for Everyone, Stratford High School, 7:30 p.m.
• 26-28, Harvey, Stratford HS Playhouse, 7:30 p.m.
• 28, Harvey, Stratford HS Playhouse, 2:30 p.m.
• 28, Spring Forest Band Concert, Spring Forest MS Auditorium, 6:30 p.m.

November 2017

• 2-4, Fall Musical TBA, Memorial HS Performing Arts Center, 7 p.m.
• 4, Region Choir Concert, Tallowood Baptist Church, 4 p.m.
• 6-7, Cinderella, Westchester Academy for International Studies, 7:30 p.m.
• 9-11, Bobcat Playhouse’s FALL into Theatre, Spring Forest MS, 6:30 p.m.
• 9-11, Starcatcher, MHS Performing Arts Center, 7 p.m.
• 10, Veterans Day Celebration, Spring Forest Middle School, 8:30 a.m.
• 10, Veterans Day Celebration, Spring Branch Middle School, 9 a.m.
• 10-11, Fall Play, Northbrook High School, 7 p.m.
• 10-11, Romeo and Juliet, Westchester Academy Theatre, 7 p.m.
• 13-14, Cinderella, Westchester Academy for International Studies, 7:30 p.m.

December 2017

• 1, Band Winter Concert, Northbrook HS Auditorium, 6:30 p.m.
• 1, Winter Choir Concert, Westchester Academy, 7 p.m.
• 1-2, Theater Production TBA, Memorial HS Performing Arts Center, 7 p.m.
• 2, Theater Production TBA, Memorial HS Performing Arts Center, 2 p.m.
• 3, Stratford HS Choir Wassail Dinner, Norris Conference Center, 6 p.m.*
• 5, Winter Choir Concert, Spring Oaks MS Auditorium, 5:30 p.m.
• 5, Band Winter Concert, Memorial HS Auditorium, 6 p.m.
• 5, Orchestra Concert, Spring Forest MS Auditorium, 6:30 p.m.
• 5, Choir Winter Concert, Stratford High School, 7:30 p.m.
• 5, Band Winter Concert, Memorial HS Performing Arts Center, 7:30 p.m.
• 6, Band Christmas Concert, Spring Oaks MS Auditorium, 5:30 p.m.
• 6, Winter Orchestra Concert/Dinner, Stratford High School, 7:30 p.m.
• 7, Choir Concert, Spring Forest MS Auditorium, 6:30 p.m.
• 8, Memorial Orchestra Concert, MHS Performing Arts Center, 7 p.m.
• 11, Beginner Band Winter Concert, Memorial MS Auditorium, 6 p.m.
• 11, Band Concert, Spring Forest MS Auditorium, 6:30 p.m. 

January 2018

• 25-27, The Addams Family, Stratford HS Playhouse, 7:30 p.m.
• 27, The Addams Family, Stratford HS Playhouse, 2:30 p.m.
• 26, IB Student Theatre Showcase, Westchester Academy Theatre, 3:30 p.m.

February 2018

• 1, Band Small Ensemble Concert, Memorial MS Auditorium, 6 p.m.
• 1-3, All Shook Up all-school musical, MHS Performing Arts Center, 7 p.m.
• 1-3, The Addams Family, Stratford HS Playhouse, 7:30 p.m.
• 1-3, Musical, Northbrook HS Auditorium, TBA
• 2, Talent Show, Westchester Academy for International Studies, 7 p.m.
• 3, Middle School Band Solo & Ensemble Contest, Memorial Middle School, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.
• 3, The Addams Family, Stratford HS Playhouse, 2:30 p.m
• 2, Bobcat Talent Show, Spring Forest MS Auditorium, 4 p.m. & 6:30 p.m.
• 7, Valentine Choir Concert, Northbrook HS Auditorium, 6:30 p.m.
• 8-10, All Shook Up all-school musical, MHS Performing Arts Center, 7 p.m.
• 27, Choir Concert, Spring Forest MS Auditorium, 6:30 p.m. 

March 2018

• 2, Orchestra Concert, Memorial HS Performing Arts Center, 7 p.m.
• 3, Pre-UIL Band Concert, Spring Oaks MS Auditorium, 4:30 p.m.
• 7, Middle School Pre-UIL Festival, Spring Branch Middle School, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.
• 21, SBISD High School Band Concert & Sight-Reading Festival, Memorial HS Auditorium, 3:30 p.m.
• 22-24, Romeo & Juliet, Westchester Academy Theatre, 7 p.m.
• 23, Memorial Symphony Concert(Carnegie Preview), MHS Performing Arts Center, 7 p.m.
• 28, Choir Pre-UIL Spring Concert, Northbrook HS Auditorium, 6 p.m.
• 29, Band Pre-UIL Concert, Northbrook HS Auditorium, 6:30 p.m. 

April 2018

• 3, Stratford Pre-UIL Choir Concert, Memorial Drive United Methodist Church, 7 p.m.
• 9, Band Concert, Spring Forest MS Auditorium, 6:30 p.m.
• 17, UIL Concert & Sight Reading Contest for Middle School Bands, Spring Woods MS, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.
• 26-28, Little Women, Stratford Playhouse, 7:30 p.m.
• 27, Bandoleras Spring Show, Northbrook HS Auditorium, 7 p.m.
• 27, Spring Choir Concert, Westchester Academy, 7 p.m.
• 27-28, Spring Theater Play, Northbrook HS Auditorium, 7 p.m.
• 27-28, Markette Spring Show, MHS Performing Arts Center, 7 p.m.

May 2018

• 2-5, Bobcat Playhouse’s Xanadu Jr., Spring Forest MS Auditorium, 6:30 p.m.
• 3, Bobcat Playhouse’s Xanadu Jr., Spring Forest MS Auditorium, 9:30 a.m.
• 3, Choir Spring Show, Spring Oaks MS Auditorium, 5:30 p.m.
• 3-5, Little Women, Stratford Playhouse, 7:30 p.m.
• 4, Memorial Orchestra Concert, MHS Performing Arts Center, 7 p.m.
• 5, Bobcat Playhouse’s Xanadu Jr., Spring Forest MS Auditorium, 9:30 a.m.
• 5, Little Women, Stratford Playhouse, 2:30 p.m.
• 8, Band Spring Concert, Memorial MS Gymnasium, 6 p.m.
• 8, Choir Pop Show, Stratford High School, 7 p.m.
• 9, Talent Show, Northbrook HS Auditorium, 6 p.m.
• 10, Spring Concert, Spring Oaks MS Auditorium, 5:30 p.m.
• 10, Spring Orchestra Concert, Stratford High School, 7:30 p.m.
• 14, Band Concert, Spring Forest MS Auditorium, 6:30 p.m.
• 14, Band Spring Concert, Memorial HS Performing Arts Center, 7 p.m.
• 15, Orchestra Concert, Spring Forest MS Auditorium, 6:30 p.m.
• 15, Spring Band Concert, Northbrook HS Auditorium, 6:30 p.m.
• 17, Spring Orchestra Concert, Northbrook HS Auditorium, 6:30 p.m.
• 22, Choir Concert, Spring Forest MS Auditorium, 6:30 p.m.
• 23, Choir Pop Show, Northbrook HS Auditorium, 6 p.m.

* Ticketed event