Cape and Sword Drama Society

The mission of the Cape and Sword Drama Society is to provide vibrant opportunities for our students to engage in, and take ownership of, all aspects of producing theatre. Cape and Sword hopes to follow the Jesuit ideal of cura personalis, in that it strives to nurture the God-given talents of all individual students, in whatever area of theatre those talents may be (acting, singing, stagecraft, music, etc.). The mission of the Cape and Sword includes embodying the Ignatian magis – living greater, fuller, better. Students in Prep Drama will have high expectations set for them – on and off stage - and they will be treated with great respect, maturity and candor with a reciprocal expectation.
Jesuit education has its very roots in theatre, and the earliest Jesuit curriculum included drama (according to the Jesuit Ratio Studiorum of 1586, “Theatre could be a forceful agent for stirring pupils’ interest in learning”). In keeping with this tradition, the Cape and Sword mission includes ensuring that theatre remains accessible - and most importantly entertaining - for not only those who are participating but for those who are attending performances, especially current and future Prep students.

Finally, in the great Prep tradition, and following the Jesuit mantra of age quod agis (“do well whatever you do”), the Cape and Sword’s mission is always to strive for excellence. And in accompanying one another in the pursuit of excellence, members foster bonds of brotherhood, camaraderie, mutual encouragement, and loving concern for each other’s wellbeing and personal growth.

The Prep's Cape and Sword Drama Society is one of the strongest high school theatre programs in the Delaware Valley. Two large-scale shows are produced every year - in the fall and the spring - that involve about 60 students each (on and off stage). Shows range in style: everything from Shakespeare to Sondheim has been produced on the Prep stage. Recent titles include Spamalot, Newsies, 1776, Peter and the Starcatcher, and The Music Man. A winter Night of Scenes is also offered, which includes ALL Prep students who express interest. Annual participation is approx. 150 students. Over 17% of the student body is involved in some form of Prep Drama - on or off stage.
 

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
The show centers on a fictional spelling bee set in (a geographically ambiguous) Putnam Valley Middle School. Six quirky adolescents compete in the Bee, run by three equally quirky grown-ups.  An unusual aspect of the show is that four real audience members are invited on stage to compete in the spelling bee alongside the six young characters, thus every show is different and improv is involved.

Performances
May 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 20, 21

Click here to buy tickets!

 

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