Everybody's Talking About...

Travel and theater both have a lot to teach us about inclusivity, acceptance, and where we belong in the world.  When you travel, you change perspectives based on your observations of new surroundings. When you go to the theater, you are able to see ideas and feelings represented on stage that reflect back on yourself and makes you think about your own perceptions. Last night, our group saw the West End performance of Everybody's Talking About Jamie.  It was a musical that made us think, laugh, sing, cry, and cheer. It was also a production that made clear the need to accept others, regardless of race, religion, or identity, but also to be true to yourself by accepting yourself just as you are.  

After a short walk around Chinatown, our group met at the Apollo theater before the show started. The first comment made about the musical was about the diversity of the show poster outside the theater.  It was so true.... that poster displayed varied skin tones and different religions- a true reflection of today's society.  Inside the theater, the themes of the performance caught our attention with visually stunning songs and dances surrounding the themes that come up in high schools around the world: parent-child relationships, acceptance by peers in the classroom, how teachers deal with parent issues, teens dealing with their own personal identities, and most importantly, how all of this affects our young people as a whole.

Behind the theater after the show at the stage door, our students eagerly awaited the actors for selfies, signatures, and chats. It is encouraging to see young people today embracing acceptance of others and supporting diversity as an ideal.  Our group of students in London gives me hope that by continuing to travel and learn about new cultures,  and using that knowledge to better theater moving forward, we have a very promising future ahead.