Class I Play Builds Community and Teaches Environmental Responsibility

January 11, 2024—The annual Class I play is a time-honored tradition that is designed to unite Winsor’s incoming class of students and build community. Working together, all 32 students spend their very first semester preparing for the performance.

 

This year’s play, Why the Sky is Far Away, was written by Theater Director Jeremy Johnson. An adaptation of a popular Nigerian folktale, the story is about the sky once being so close to the Earth that people could eat it. However, people’s desire for more than they needed caused the sky to move far away. In response, the Earth offered itself to the people, as long as they promised to be responsible and take care of it. Ultimately the story teaches the village—and the audience—a valuable lesson about sustainability and our role in caring for the environment.

 

Four original songs composed by Choir Director Andrew Marshall were sung by the cast with choreography created by Dance Faculty Ann-Marie Ciaraldi. The vibrant costumes were designed by Performing Arts Faculty Sylvi Re and Jessica Pribble. 

 

An all-school assembly on Thursday, January 11 was dedicated to the show with faculty, staff, and the entire student body cheering and supporting Winsor’s fifth graders. Class I parents came to campus for an encore performance later in the afternoon. After the show, the Winsor Parents’ Association Performing Arts Liason’s Doug Bowen-Flynn P’25 and Annelena Lobb P’29 hosted a reception and Class I families supported the event with all kinds of treats including stroopwafels and lemonade.

Watch the performance. 

Villager 1/Sky - Alex Chen

Villager 2/Sky - Amalia Ayres

Villager 3/Sky - Ellie Ding

Villager 4/Sky - Shylee Feingold

Villager 5/Sky - Sara Arango Ortega

Kid 1 - Vidya Cohen

Kid 2 - Ria Vartak

Kid 3 - Eve Kuhlmann

Kid 4 - Shreya Swaroop

Grandma 1 - Navya Varanasi

Grandma 2 - Olivia Gracia

Grandma 3 - Avni Maniar

Grandma 4 - Laena Humphrey

Villager 6/Earth - Alyssa Liang

Villager 7/Earth - Wren Gourley

Villager 8/Earth - Olivia Sagong

Villager 9/Earth - Annika Thakarar

Villager 10/Earth - Sisi Tesfay

Oba - Evangelia Faith Volandes

Queen - Rhea Avari

Villager 11 - Claire Ban

Villager 12 - Lakshmi Cohen

Villager 13 - Emily Doe

Villager 14 - Eleanor Fryer

Villager 15 - Sarah Fu

Osato - Emma Alexiev

Otolo - Jiya Vachhani

Villager 16 - Olivia Ma

Villager 17 - Amy Miller-Lu

Villager 18 - Isabella Mejia

Villager 19 - Sophia Zhang

Villager 20 - Nepheli Pantazis