Signature Theatre’s education program Signature in the Schools, now in its seventeenth year, uses theatre to open the minds and broaden the viewpoints of local teens while engaging them in a positive and creative experience. A recipient of The Washington Post’s prestigious Community Service Award, Signature in the Schools reaches over 1,000  students annually through theatre workshops, in-class discussions, an after-school program and the production of an original play.

Signature in the Schools was founded in 1995. The program had its start with the idea of casting age-appropriate actors in plays. Using the strong ties already forged between Signature and Wakefield High School, and drawing on the inspiration of then-drama instructor Judy Klevins, the first Signature in the Schools production was presented on the Signature stage for just two performances, to an audience of friends and family.

Today, the Signature in the Schools’ productions run for seven performances, five of them to students bussed in from schools throughout Arlington County. Each student receives an in-depth study guide, researched and written by members of Signature’s Education Department. Many also receive classroom visits from Signature staff where students explore the historical topics highlighted in the production. Students also receive hands-on opportunities with staging, being given the opportunity to rehearse and perform scenes from the play they’re preparing to see.

In 2004, the late Marcia Gardner, who had been a driving force in the program since its second year and would go on to direct the productions for several years, added a series of workshops for Wakefield freshman, exploring issues exploring issues of plot, character, dialogue and theatrical staging. The partnership with Wakefield and its current drama instructor, Chris Gillespie, has ensured the program’s lasting success. Beyond Wakefield, the productions also utilize students from The Apprentice at Signature program, part of the Arlington Public Schools Fine Arts Apprentice Program. In recent years, workshops have also included principles of media literacy, marketing, and the historical subjects dealt with in the plays.

The students are expected to be more than just promising actors. Since each production is a world premiere, the cast is also expected to share and develop their thoughts on the historic period, to ask evocative questions, and to have a hand in the development of the play. Students not only make up the cast but also work as crew members, stage managers, and occasionally even as co-designers. All students, whether onstage or off, are mentored by professionals and are expected to work by professional standards.

A professional actor always joins the student casts onstage as a colleague and mentor. Past actors that have participated in the program include Paul Morella, Vanessa Lock, and Harry Winter.

“Signature in the Schools, is one of the most fantastic theater programs I have ever had the honor of working with,” said Morgan Shotwell, a junior at H.B. Woodlawn who participated in the program. “I have learned more about acting in three months with Signature in the Schools, then in the last three years of classes at school. And my education

hasn’t just been in theater. Signature in the Schools, demands personal responsibility and a willingness to commit that most high school programs won’t ask for. We are taught that we always have to put our fair share in, so our peers can do their best work. Signature has given me good friends and mentors, and a higher confidence in my abilities as an actor.”

Signature is the Schools is made possible by generous donations from the community. To support this educational p

rogram by making a gift, please contact Signature’s Development office at 571 527 1828 or development@signature-theatre.org.