Each fall, Arlington Public Schools high school students are invited to audition for Signature in the Schools as part of the APS and Signature Theatre partnership. An original play that is written and produced at Signature Theatre with cast and crew almost entirely from Arlington Public Schools is showcased in the winter for APS high school students and general public. The guest playwright writes the play based on the students involved each year and brings current issues alive by connecting them to history, politics, and literature. The APS Arts Education Office works with Signature’s Education Director, David Zobell, to coordinate transportation, communication and logistics with the students involved as well as logistics for high schools to attend the performance.
This year’s play, The Pursued, The Pursuing, The Busy and The Tired written by Dani Stoller and directed by David Zobell feature 26 students, 23 of which are from APS. This world premiere play uses F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby as a springboard to examine the ways we cover pain with extravagance. Stoller’s characters cope with societal expectations, questions of identity and privilege, and the concept of reinvention through both real-life interactions and the destructive lens of social media. Using the classic Gatsby story as inspiration, Stoller challenges the audience to interrogate their own relationships, assumptions, and ideals.
Previously scheduled daytime performances have recently been cancelled but two evening performances remain as scheduled and are open to the public. The performances are Mon, Jan. 24 at 7 p.m. and Fri, Jan. 28 at 8 p.m. at Signature Theatre located at 4200 Campbell Avenue. Tickets cost $10 and can be purchased at https://tickets.sigtheatre.org/syos/performance/11223
The following 23 students are involved with this year’s Signature in the School production are:
Arlington Career Center
- Madeline Florio
H.B. Woodlawn
- Lauren Bradley
- Oscar Linehan-Siu
Wakefield
- Grayson Carr
- Lidia Degaga
- Monserrat Ignacio Gonzalez
- Mercedes Kim
- Anne-Marie Rutley
- Rianna Sanford
- Karen Solis
- Ian Whyte
- Sadie Wyman
Washington-Liberty
- Marisa Flores
- Mia Shenkman
- Lilla Woodard
Yorktown
- Elleanor Conley
- Bryce Gastelum
- Cassidy Greenwalt
- Noah Hendrickson
- Alannah Hjelm
- Samantha Lincoln
- Nina Reinharz
- Lilly Thro
