Theatre

Students who participate in The Frederick Gunn School Theatre Program engage in the Performing Arts with creative and open processes to put together a final production that demonstrates their collective work.

The Frederick Gunn School has a long and established theatrical history. Students staged the first play in 1850, and at least one play has been performed annually ever since. The theatre program, which marked its 150th anniversary in 2019, currently presents three productions a year: a play in the fall, a musical in the winter, and a Shakespeare project in the spring. Students act, sing, dance, build sets, serve as costumers, choreographers, musicians, lighting and sound technicians, and help manage the production. Auditions are open to all students. Rehearsals are held in the afternoons and students participate as part of the co-curricular program in the fall and winter terms.

Recent productions include: the Connecticut Premiere of The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, adapted by Dwayne Hartford based on the book by Kate DiCamillo; Men On Boats by Jaclyn Backhaus; The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, book by Rachel Sheinkin and score by William Finn; Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare; and Head Over Heels: the Musical, conceived by Jeff Whitty, who wrote the original book adapted by James Magruder, and based upon "The Arcadia,” by Sir Philip Sidney. 

Performing Arts course listings and descriptions