At the end of February, the Starlight Theatre Company (STC) started the rigorous process of casting the University Interscholastic League (UIL) play, which is performed at a series of competitions throughout the months of March and April. 

This year, directors Marco Bazan and Kade Lasseigne chose the dramedy Compleat Female Stage Beauty, which has already successfully advanced to bi-district. Compleat Female Stage Beauty follows the struggles of a male actor, Kynaston, who has played women roles his entire career. When King Charles II outlaws male actors playing female roles, Kynaston is distraught. 

The play deals with topics such as emotional and physical abuse, gay relationships, homophobia, identity struggles, and much more. Many people feel some of these topics are too heavy and sensitive for high school students to understand and portray on stage, preferring the STC avoids productions with these topics all together.

I believe these topics should be addressed in plays performed by students, especially since our program and directors have created a safe and instructive environment to properly portray these subjects on stage. Overall, the STC has multiple precautions in place to deal with difficult topics and I feel the inclusion of productions with these topics is more beneficial than harmful

By discussing these topics at a younger age in a safe environment, students are able to avoid false information about the topics, have difficult conversations with a group of people they trust, and then raise awareness when the production is put on stage.

Before starting a production, the directors allow students to express what topics they might be uncomfortable portraying so they can avoid those specific shows. Once the rehearsal process starts, our company takes the time to discuss the history of the specific subjects, while being conscious of personal experiences. This is an important process because the directors are able to provide reliable information, contrary to common sources for teens, like social media. 

I will continue to advocate for the inclusion of difficult topics in our company because I believe it is a reliable and genuine source for students, especially  during a time when students are up against the vast amount of false information in social media and the news.

The STC also works to create a very open environment for conversation, allowing students to create meaningful and safe connections with each other. I believe how our company deals with sensitive topics has positively impacted how comfortable students are with opening up with each other. This allows students to safely discuss struggles they have faced and have a supportive community to listen and back them up. It also creates a non-judgmental space to ask questions about difficult subjects that may be discouraged to talk about in other spaces. Overall, I feel like our company’s ability to handle difficult and sensitive subject matter has been effective in creating an open space for conversation for those who need it.

Once the show is up on stage, it’s very common to receive backlash over some of the subject matter. However, the opportunity to perform sensitive content has the power to raise awareness and build a community with a deeper understanding of others struggles. 

I feel this is one of the best rewards of performing a show, we as actors and students are able to teach others about sensitive, but common problems in our world. Throughout the production process, everyone involved in the show comes out the other side with much more knowledge and experience with  difficult  subjects, and with a new awareness of how to discuss them. Because our directors and company are able to deal with topics in a mature manner, we are able to raise awareness for the entirety of the Bowie community and beyond.

Despite all of this, many people feel there is too much risk involved with sensitive topics. There is worry that some students might be triggered by certain topics,  and this could lead to a tense and harmful environment. 

While I understand this concern, I believe the STC takes ample precautions to avoid this issue. As I mentioned above, every student has information on subject matters that may be included in each show before the casting process, as well as the ability to express concern and avoid those shows. Because the STC has pre-established systems for addressing concerns and handles these topics with sensitivity and maturity, the company is incredibly qualified to produce shows with sensitive subject matters.

I believe the STC is a community fully able to produce shows containing difficult subjects respectfully and gracefully, and is incredibly thorough in making sure each student comes out of the process comfortable and knowledgeable.