I have shied away from responding to the controversy surrounding Bromfield’s choice not to participate in the METG State Drama Festival because I’ve retired from the drama position, but some of the comments by Principal Jim O’Shea in last week’s article with regards to the issue seem a bit glib to me.
First of all, I celebrate having a new person in the drama director’s position who is trying to create a “new comprehensive and creative program.” However, other than adding an outdoor Shakespeare program in the spring, there is little to support the deletion of the festival and its replacement with a “3x3x3,” which actually INCLUDED a one-act play that could have been entered into the Drama Fest competition. There is very little opportunity there for students to learn what they could learn from performing in a state-wide festival and seeing 20-25 other performances in the event. There is obviously no comparison.
Secondly, the “concern over the time, energy, and resources involved with participating in Drama Fest” is a bit disconcerting. By “resources” I believe Mr. O’Shea means finances. The Drama Society has never had a problem with making the festival entry pay for itself — by hosting one of the rounds, grants, and parent support. The only thing left is “time and energy,” which basically means to me that Mr. Kendall is just not interested in spending that “time and energy” to give his students such an opportunity. Nor did he seem to want to take the “time and energy” to speak to the Press or the parents about the issue.
I wonder how supportive the administration would be if a new athletic director decided to cut all sports competition because of “resources, time, and energy” and instead to create a “comprehensive and creative” intramural program where the students would just compete against themselves. Somehow I’m sure that the parents and the School Committee would be much more vocal about that change. Why is that?
Michael McGarty, former Bromfield drama director
Mashpee, Mass.
