Excited to Be Back
April 13, 2021: Gross Catholic’s Dux Esto Drama Club was proud to present the Disney Musical “Freaky Friday” last weekend. After a year and a half of no live productions, students, staff and the community were excited to finally be back in the theater.
What we did at Christmas Time
At Christmas time, Drama made the decision to do a fully virtual performance. Everything was prerecorded, every musician sang alone, the sound was all compiled and then presented to the Gross Catholic community through a virtual performance streamed on You Tube. Ms. Jackson, Director of Theatre Arts and Vocal Music, stated “While we learned a lot, we really missed being in person and so we got the courage to attempt an in-person performance.” Consequently, when the Spring Musical came along, we were very exited to try it live.
Freaky Friday Adaptations
Adapting to the current situation, actors remained masked at all times during rehearsals and actors socially distanced as well. Everyone created “pods” within the production so that possible exposure could be contained. The cast wore clear masks when performing for audiences, but remained in cloth masks until the final dress rehearsal.
“The pandemic was an opportunity for us to use the Marianist Charism of Education for adaptation and change. The beauty of collaborative art is that we can always pursue a new way of creating and it is influenced by everyone in the room. Being able to create a live theatrical production after such a period of fasting from so many things that we love, I was reminded how much we need the arts and how grateful I am that we are able to start creating again.” Ms. Jackson
About Gross Catholic
Gross Catholic, a co-educational, college preparatory high school, began its proud heritage of academic excellence rooted in the Marianist tradition in 1968. We consider ourselves one of the best Catholic schools in Omaha, Bellevue, and Papillion. The school motto Dux Esto (“Be a Leader”) is at the core of its extraordinary mission, innovative spirit, and fundamental values. The school offers a challenging environment and outstanding quality of life, both in academics and co-curricular activities, with a strong focus on STREAM (Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, the Arts, and Mathematics) education. The spirit of Christian service and giving back is part of everything the school does. Gross Catholic’s top-tier status is reflected in its talented faculty, staff, and coaches who take great pride in seeing virtually every graduate head to college, often to the most prestigious domestic and international universities and service academies. Together with families and alumni, Gross Catholic forges relationships for a lifetime, helping to ready the next generation to be exemplary, principled leaders of the world.
To discover the Gross Catholic difference, contact us at 402.734.2000 or visit our Admissions page.