As Signature in the Schools quickly approaches its 20th anniversary, its staff and students look back fondly on the many productions and memories they have been a part of. To help celebrate this momentous occasion (and ten-year writing partnership with longtime Signature favorite and newly appointed Resident Director Joe Calarco), the Signature Education Department is proud to present the Signature in the Schools Festival! Part showcase, part pop-up fringe, all fun, this two week long festival features four separate productions of former Signature in the Schools shows by local high schools. The shows will all be performed in the beautiful MAX Theatre at Signature in January 2015.
In order to prep you for a flurry of talent and amazing productions, we have prepared a brief primer on each show.
Salat
(Originally titled Eve of Destruction)
Presented and performed by Duke Ellington School of the Arts
Directed by Tracie Jade Jenkins
Date: January 17th at 11AM
Summary: While his classmates study Ancient Sumer, Daniel struggles with his own relationship to Iraq, where his father was blinded in the First Gulf War. While Rasha, a young girl in modern Basra, writes hopeful letters to her imaginary American friend, two Iraqi boys wrestle with how to take action in a time of great change. These two stories, intertwined with the ancient Sumerian story of Lugalbanda, ultimately carry heartbreaking and shocking connections.
Revolution
Presented and performed by Bishop Ireton High School
Directed by Joanna Henry
Date: January 18th at 11AM
Summary: It’s 2011. The events that would come to be known as the Arab Spring are underway. The Occupy Movement is in its infancy. With the world changing at a rapid pace, a group of young students find themselves grappling to identify with and understand the surrounding revolutionary fervor. One student, Patrick, struggles in quiet desperation with changes that could prove to be more than he can handle. Visited by Basma Bouazizi, sister of revolutionary Mohammed Bouazizi, Patrick’s story becomes a sobering exploration of the origins of revolutions and the consequences of upheaval.
Image is Everything
Presented and performed by Oakton High School
Directed by Vanessa Gelinas
Date: January 24th at 11AM
Summary: Inspired by Leni Riefenstahl’s legendary propaganda film, Triumph of the Will, which chronicled the Nazi Party rallies and helped to glorify German leader Adolf Hitler, Image is Everything focuses on themes of propaganda, conformity and personal responsibility. Taking place in the present day, a group of students study the tragic events of the Holocaust and are forced to face the fact that propaganda didn’t just die with Nazi Germany but is alive and well in America, even in their very own school.
Aftershock
Presented and Performed by High School Students From Across the DC Area
Directed by Joe Calarco
Date: January 25th at 11AM
Summary: While trying to write a paper about the aftermath of tragedy, high school student Ruthie turns to her brother Timothy, a Red Cross worker, for stories of survival. He tells her the story of Ayana, a young woman facing tough choices while stranded on a roof in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. He also brings to life Negie, a Congolese girl who witnessed the unspeakable deaths of her family before escaping into the jungle. Closer to home, Timothy tells Ruthie the story of their ancestors, Ruth and Sarah, reunited in Belgium after the Holocaust and struggling to maintain their identities. Ruthie’s own experience of tragedy breaks through in surprising ways as she absorbs the stories of these incredible survivors.
The Signature in the Schools 20th Anniversary Festival is sure to not be missed this January. Tickets are available here and through our box office at 703 820 9771. We can't wait to share these amazing pieces, students and artists with the rest of the world.
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| Original Productions Photos of Eve of Destruction, Revolution, Image is Everything, and Aftershock. All photos by Dennis Deloria. |
In order to prep you for a flurry of talent and amazing productions, we have prepared a brief primer on each show.
Salat
 |
| Eve of Destruction |
Presented and performed by Duke Ellington School of the Arts
Directed by Tracie Jade Jenkins
Date: January 17th at 11AM
Summary: While his classmates study Ancient Sumer, Daniel struggles with his own relationship to Iraq, where his father was blinded in the First Gulf War. While Rasha, a young girl in modern Basra, writes hopeful letters to her imaginary American friend, two Iraqi boys wrestle with how to take action in a time of great change. These two stories, intertwined with the ancient Sumerian story of Lugalbanda, ultimately carry heartbreaking and shocking connections.
Revolution
Presented and performed by Bishop Ireton High School
Directed by Joanna Henry
 |
| Revolution |
Summary: It’s 2011. The events that would come to be known as the Arab Spring are underway. The Occupy Movement is in its infancy. With the world changing at a rapid pace, a group of young students find themselves grappling to identify with and understand the surrounding revolutionary fervor. One student, Patrick, struggles in quiet desperation with changes that could prove to be more than he can handle. Visited by Basma Bouazizi, sister of revolutionary Mohammed Bouazizi, Patrick’s story becomes a sobering exploration of the origins of revolutions and the consequences of upheaval.
 |
| Image is Everything |
Image is Everything
Presented and performed by Oakton High School
Directed by Vanessa Gelinas
Date: January 24th at 11AM
Summary: Inspired by Leni Riefenstahl’s legendary propaganda film, Triumph of the Will, which chronicled the Nazi Party rallies and helped to glorify German leader Adolf Hitler, Image is Everything focuses on themes of propaganda, conformity and personal responsibility. Taking place in the present day, a group of students study the tragic events of the Holocaust and are forced to face the fact that propaganda didn’t just die with Nazi Germany but is alive and well in America, even in their very own school.
Aftershock
Presented and Performed by High School Students From Across the DC Area
Directed by Joe Calarco
 |
| Aftershock |
Summary: While trying to write a paper about the aftermath of tragedy, high school student Ruthie turns to her brother Timothy, a Red Cross worker, for stories of survival. He tells her the story of Ayana, a young woman facing tough choices while stranded on a roof in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. He also brings to life Negie, a Congolese girl who witnessed the unspeakable deaths of her family before escaping into the jungle. Closer to home, Timothy tells Ruthie the story of their ancestors, Ruth and Sarah, reunited in Belgium after the Holocaust and struggling to maintain their identities. Ruthie’s own experience of tragedy breaks through in surprising ways as she absorbs the stories of these incredible survivors.
The Signature in the Schools 20th Anniversary Festival is sure to not be missed this January. Tickets are available here and through our box office at 703 820 9771. We can't wait to share these amazing pieces, students and artists with the rest of the world.
