At Park School, theatre isn’t just about putting on shows – it’s about collaborative spaces where students discover their voices, take creative risks, and build community. While longtime Drama Department Head Kyra Fries takes a sabbatical year to deepen her own artistic practice, Jordan Burnham-Bialik and TJ Liquori are building on the program’s strong foundation to create new opportunities for student growth and leadership.
The program’s evolution reflects Park’s belief that meaningful learning happens when students take ownership of their education. For the first time, Park has introduced a dedicated theater tech class for students in Grades 7 and 8 to progress from exploring fundamental tech skills to specialized design. This class works alongside performance-focused classes and an after-school technical production program. Under the guidance of TJ, students work after school in the shop daily, transitioning from builders to sound and lighting designers as productions near. “We’ve embraced a ‘let’s try it and learn for next time’ mindset,” TJ explains. “It’s their show, and we ensure they have input at every step.” This evolution is a huge leap forward from just two years ago when tech involvement was limited to the final two weeks before performances. The program’s steady growth has been made possible by flexibility, space, time, and resources —key ingredients to its success.
Park’s theater program spans Grades 5 through 8, with meaningful entry points at every level. Fifth graders are introduced to drama through an after-school play, while 6th graders gain access to the fall play and winter musical—the school’s largest productions. By 7th and 8th grade, students can explore technical theater, acting, playwriting, and advocacy through electives and workshops.
“Park approaches theater education differently from most middle schools,” Jordan explains. “Every student who steps into the theater matters–not just as actors and crew members, but as artists, designers, and leaders in our drama community. When students realize they can shape both the story and how we tell it, they discover their power to make meaningful change both on and off the stage.” This approach turns theater at Park into a laboratory for learning, where students apply creative problem-solving skills across disciplines while building lasting connections with their peers and teachers.
This year’s productions have challenged students to think outside the box. With a system to quickly change settings on stage, students designed innovative solutions—like book walls that transform as they open or close, revealing different scenes. Students also tackled technical challenges in collaboration with Makerspace teacher Aaron Williams and Robotics coach David Raabe, such as building an 8-foot clock with motorized hands that can be controlled from the lighting board. “They’re so excited to figure things out on their own,” TJ shares. “They have the resources they need, and they’re taking ownership of the process.”
Through electives like Drama as Advocacy, students learn to use theater as a tool for social change. Using techniques from Theater of the Oppressed, they examine situations from their own lives through multiple perspectices, moving from personal experience to systemic understanding. When students create forum theatre pieces, they invite their community to imagine and rehearse different possibilities for action. These performances transform audiences from passive spectators to ‘spect-actors,’ active participants in problem-solving, practicing strategies for creative positive change in their daily lives.
Collaboration has been a hallmark of this year’s program. From auditions that emphasize group work and growth to productions shaped entirely by student ideas, the program fosters creativity and teamwork. As TJ reflects, “It’s more fulfilling to see kids taking ownership of different areas of the set and stage—it’s their work, and I’m here to support them.”
Meanwhile, Jordan emphasizes the importance of agency and ownership for students, seeking ways for Upper Division students to bring Drama to the Lower Division through performance, playwriting, and creativity in the Page to Stage class. As the school year progresses, the theater program continues to evolve. From selecting the 8th-grade play through a collaborative committee to experimenting with new storytelling formats, Park School’s theater program is built on the belief that every student’s voice matters. “Theater at Park isn’t just an after-school activity,” Jordan says. “It’s an integral part of the school’s culture—one that teaches collaboration, creativity, and the power of storytelling.”
Keep an eye out for upcoming performances of this year’s Winter Musical, Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella, this March 6-8, 2025. In this fresh take on the classic fairy tale, our students explore themes of transformation, social justice, and the power of kindness. Through students’ work both onstage and behind the scenes, they demonstrate how theater at Park helps students develop the tools they need to shape not just stories, but the world around them.
