Walpole High School is always noticed for its sports, mainly field hockey and football, which is fine, given the high reputation, undefeated seasons, and the championships and Superbowls these teams have won in the past years; however, the extracurricular activities in which the other students participate are being overshadowed. Not anymore. Clubs like the Drama Club are no longer being cast aside by athletics, but are rising to an equal status.
My first day at Walpole High, I looked through the Student Handbook and was amazed at the number of clubs and opportunities to be had, but I was in a sports program, soccer, and so many of those opportunities became unavailable. It wasn’t until the season had ended that I was able to join the only club left, Drama Club, for its Winter Musical, “Once On This Island”. I’m not going to lie, it was not the equivalent of “Wicked” in popularity or infamy, but it was still a good production. Opening night came and went, and I’m sure had it not been for a basketball game or hockey match more students would have attended.
This past year the Drama Club put on its production of “The Mouse That Roared”, and probably for the first time in its existance, the auditorium was packed, for both nights! The same circulation went around, the same preparations made as the winter musical, but the crowd number was an astounding difference. Maybe there was a freak storm and all games were postponed, maybe the world is finally aknowledging the Drama Club, or maybe the new freshman class brought with them a tidal wave of ticket sales.
Whatever the case, let’s hope the growing popularity does not stop for the Drama Club, and branches out towards the other theatrical organizations in Walpole. Another troupe, Walpole Children’s Theatre, is performing their lastest play, “King Midas and The Touch of Gold ” the last week in January and first week of February, and the United Church in the center of town will be performing “Godspell” in late March. Animosity aside, good luck to all sports teams, theatrical groups, or any club starting a bright new year.
