For their first semester finals, students in drama teacher Jon Copeland’s advanced drama classes will perform four different plays, one of which was written by a student in the class.

Although this is the first year for the advanced drama class, Copeland got the idea for the final project from his previous experience teaching drama at De Soto High School.

“My classes [at De Soto] were a lot smaller … its’ even more challenging [here] because there are four different plays. So I’m trying to let students either direct their own plays or help another group because I can’t be everywhere at once.”

Having students perform plays as their finals allowed one student to see a play he wrote acted out on stage. Senior Alex Maupin wrote “The Waiting Room” and submitted it to a publishing company that published the play over the summer. The play is about the parents of a group of teenagers waiting to hear news about their children who got into a car wreck.

“I actually wrote the play over the summer,” Maupin said. “I wanted something to do, so I wrote it … The only people who have done the show was a troupe in Ohio and I haven’t been able to see it, and I kind of wanted to see it. So I asked Mr. Copeland if I could just direct the final for advanced drama.”

Senior Betsy Wendorff is excited for the chance given to her by this final project.

“I’m really excited [for this play] because I wasn’t in the musical so I didn’t get to act at all then,” Wendorff said. “I really like acting and stuff so I’m actually excited to get to do it.”

Maupin will be directing the play instead of acting.

“For this play … I’m kind of head honcho,” Maupin said. “I’m in charge of everything. I’m going to do lighting … acting styles … and teach them how to act. [I get to decide] how I want it to be presented [since I wrote the play] and casted the show.”

Check out this link for more on Copeland’s school productions: https://www.mvnews.org/news/2012/11/08/fall-musical-provides-entertainment-for-anyone/