49 Antietam St, Devens, MA 01434 Phone: (978) 772-3293
Spring Shows!
For the spring, Parker is happy to present Everybody! by Brandon Jacobs Jenkins And The Grumpiest Boy in the World by Finegan Kruckemeyer.
Everybody! is a modern adaptation of the 15th Century morality play Everyman. It deals with eternal themes of life and death, sin, love, friendship, family, God, and the eternal mysteries of life. You know, the stuff that happens to everybody. It’s tragic, it’s funny, and it’s also got some singing in it. This show also contains strong language and themes and is recommended for those at least 16 years old.
The Grumpiest Boy in the World is a play by Finegan Kruckemeyer, who writes delightful plays for young audiences. In this one, a young boy realizes that he is not particularly unusual and this makes him grouchy. On a quest to find someone who will think he’s interesting or at least kind of weird, he meets monsters, lions, and a lot of very grumpy people. Will he find his destiny? Will he make it home in time for his mom’s red duck curry? The only way to find out is to come to show!
The shows will be performed twice each in the Parker Auditorium as follows:
- Everybody, Wednesday, April 9, 2025 at 7 PM
- The Grumpiest Boy in the World, Thursday, April 10, 2025, at 7 PM
- Everybody, Friday, April 11, 2025, at 7 PM
- The Grumpiest Boy in the World, Saturday, April 12, 2025, at 12 PM
Tickets can be purchased online before the show for a discounted price. All shows will be general seating.
Theater Mission Statement
The purpose of theater at Parker is to help students learn the value of teamwork, cooperation, and creativity while participating in all elements of theatrical production. Typically, Parker performs two shows a year, at least one of which finds a role for everyone who auditions. The types of performances range from full-length contemporary plays to classics like Shakespearean drama to musicals to short one-acts. Students help to create these performances by acting, by building sets, by designing costumes and operating lights and the sound. They also provide opportunities to take leadership roles; Parker is proud to allow students to direct, assistant direct, and stage manage plays frequently. It is our belief that in addition to helping students learn artistic and technical skills that can serve them for the rest of their lives, the theater program also aligns with Parker’s larger goal of creating a welcoming, equitable, democratic community in which students can learn to use their minds well in an atmosphere of trust and decency while doing authentic work that is deeply meaningful to them.
As a community, we pursue these goals through:
- A commitment to finding age-and-skill-appropriate roles for students at all levels of their learning
- A commitment to developing expertise and skill on an individual basis for students who participate in theater
- A commitment to bringing a variety of stories and styles to the stage
- A commitment to authentic learning, commitment, and artistic integrity
How to Participate in Theater
Every show is its own opportunity!
- Students are encouraged to attend regular biannual theater meetings at the beginning of each semester.
- Participation is free for students doing technical theater, including set building, props, costumes, lights and sound.
- There is a $100 participation fee for students who are acting, directing, or stage managing. These fees can be waived in the case of student need.
- Student Theater Fees can be paid on UniPay under Theatre. You can also hand in a check made out to Parker School at the Main Office with "theater fee" in the memo line.
How to Contribute to Parker Theater
- We always need adult/parent volunteers to help with set construction as well as with short-term specialized jobs like dance choreography, fight choreography, costumes, etc. If you have a talent in one of these areas, please reach out to Ryan Ruopp at [email protected].
- We are in the process of raising funds for two expansion projects. We’d like to purchase a curtain for the front of our stage and a shed to store lumber. This will require long-term fundraising, but if you’d like to contribute to either of these projects, please send a check to the school made out to Parker School with "curtain donation" or "shed donation" in the memo line. You can also make a donation on UniPay and indicate where to apply the donation in the Description box.
Fax: 978-772-3295
