Theater at Sparhawk has grown and changed and evolved over the years. In the past, performances were done in rented out gymnasiums, auditoriums, small stage areas, any place we could find to put up our shows. Over the years, we’ve gone from one show a year to a fall and spring production with our own Young Playwrights’ Showcase sandwiched in the middle. And we do it all in our own theater space! Now, as we enter 2021, still in the throes of the worst pandemic any of us have had to deal with in our lifetimes, we change and grow and evolve yet again.
During recent meetings with my theater club and Etymon, Sparhawk's literary magazine club, the kids and I decided that it was time for a change. Due to Covid, we realized our ability to produce live performances was no longer an option. Together we discussed putting on a full Zoom production in the first semester but ran into too many technical and logistical roadblocks. At the same time, interest in our literary magazine, Etymon, had been waning as well. Despite putting out weekly pleas for submissions in the first semester, none came. We needed an idea. Through a brainstorming process, and the creativity and commitment of several dedicated students, we landed on the idea of combining Sparhawk Theater and Etymon to form a new media endeavor. We are proud and excited to announce the creation of our brand new platform, Hawk Talk, a podcast for the students, by the students.
Hawk Talk will be produced on a bi-weekly basis, and will include school news, current events, student and/or teacher writing (poems, short stories, songs, etc), movie reviews, book reviews, original 10 minute play performances, and much, much more. Each episode will be recorded and cast via Google Meet to the Sparhawk community during a specified time, (which is still to be determined).
Over the past two weeks the kids and I have been hard at work brainstorming, organizing, planning, writing, creating a logo (Thanks Noah. It’s awesome!!!) and a trailer (Great work, Nate!) and putting all the pieces in place for our upcoming launch.
Our trailer and first episode will be released shortly, and our second episode, an original 10 minute play written by former student, Parker Rogers, and performed by Nate Elmer, Jonah Thompson, and Ali Ogden will be appearing in the next couple of weeks. Future episodes will feature a variety of interesting topics and people, so stay tuned.
Our theater and literary magazine programs have come a long way, and we continue to look for new and exciting ways to introduce our students to a writer’s perspective and life on stage.