Pierson High School IB Students Support Literature Live! at Bay Street Theater

Bay Street Theater is pleased to announce that students of the International Baccalaureate Program at Pierson High School in Sag Harbor presented "13 The Musical", on September 14 and 15, to benefit Bay Street Theater's upcoming Literature Live! production of Great Gatsby, and as part of the project selling ads and tickets to a cabaret dinner, students were able to raise $5,000 over and above the expenses they incurred for this IB project.

Five years ago, when Pierson High School current Juniors and Seniors were only in 6th and 7th grade, Pierson's Middle School Theatre Department put on "13 The Musical" directed by Paula Brannon. They instantly fell in love with the show, and they set about recreating it as part of their IB project. Ms. Brannon agreed to return from her current home in California to once again support this devoted team of students with this project.

Devoted teachers assisted. Melissa Luppi helped with the producing, creating the program, and costuming aspects of the show. Keith Holden was the supervisor. (Mr. Holden is also currently the director of the High School drama, Don't Drink the Water this school year.)

The International Baccalaureate (IB) Program is a challenging academic program that has been implemented at Pierson. A graduation requirement of the IB Program is to complete a CAS Project, CAS being short for Creativity, Action, and Service. The CAS Project is meant to get students out into their towns to show that they are a valuable part of the community as well. Students involved with the Theatre Department as well as the IB Program joined together to get the production up and running for their CAS Projects. Each student fulfilled a different role, ranging from directing and producing, to fundraising and marketing. They included:

Anna Schiavoni (senior) - Production Manager/Music Director
Graham DiLorenzo (senior) - Producer
Reilly Schombs (senior) - Student Director
Eva Doyle (junior) - Choreographer
Thomas Lawton (senior) - Head of Fundraising
Yanni Bitis (junior) - Head of Promotion
Ella Knibb (senior) - Head of Sets/Costumes/Props

Bay Street's Executive Director Tracy Mitchell was gobsmacked by the entire project and the results. "We are so honored that the students not only came up with this ambitious theater project, but also did it as a way of benefitting other students through Bay Street's Literature Live! program. It's really a full circle project-- by contributing to our production, they have enabled even more students from across Long Island to see free live theater. Bravo to them and all of the Pierson staff and the parents who supported them! We are so very grateful."

Bay Street Theater & Sag Harbor Center for the Arts is a year-round, not-for-profit professional theater and community cultural center which endeavors to innovate, educate, and entertain a diverse community through the practice of the performing arts. We serve as a social and cultural gathering place, an educational resource, and a home for a community of artists.