This Thursday marked the opening of our fall theater season with the Upper School's production of Urinetown: The Musical. Over the past five weeks, nearly 50 Upper School students have dedicated countless hours to producing a wildly entertaining show. I'm always in awe of the teamwork, creativity, vulnerability, and grit on display during one of these shows. Our school has a long history of exceptional theater, and it just gets better every year, at every division. Later in November, we'll celebrate the opening of our 18th Annual Middle School One-Act Festival, a remarkable event which is produced almost entirely by students (with help from our Middle School drama coach and 7th grade teacher, Joel Vilinsky, who makes it all possible). A good portion of the plays (5 of 11) will have been written by our students, and all will feature student actors directed by their peers. And, finally, as we move into the holiday season, our Elementary students will take their turn on stage when they put on their annual Holiday Show. The Holiday Show showcases the talents and hard work of our students as well as their willingness to take personal risks. As a school, we are committed to developing confident and engaged young people, and we are very intentional about the way we encourage them to speak and perform in public. It starts with our youngest Cutthroats and extends all the way to graduation day. If you are in town over the next month, join us in the theater for any and all of these remarkable shows!