Drama at NIS has traditionally been a space where students explore creativity, leadership, and collaboration. This year’s high school production, Are We Okay? by Jared Mallard, was a landmark project that reflects this tradition - a student-centered drama that explored the complexities of friendship, social media, and identity in the digital age.
But what ended with a curtain call and students taking their bows on the MPH stage demonstrated just the tip of an iceberg of a far more complex process. Under the guidance of Chris Vitale, the MYP and DP Theater teacher, the process was a journey that had begun in April of the previous school year, when a High School Play Committee of students from Grades 9–11 set out to select a production. They were leaning towards the challenge of a drama, rather than a musical or comedy, a change from recent productions. Katie King, Assistant Director and Stage Manager, reflected, “I really wanted to do something different that would be able to convey a message to students at our school… I thought the combination of the story [of “Are We Okay?”] being about social media and having a high school setting… would leave an impact.”
Katie’s vision for this production is in great part why the committee landed on Are We Okay? because of its themes: fractured friendships, online pressures, and emotionally complex characters. These issues resonated deeply with the students, making it personal from the outset.
Thanks to Vitale, the cast had the unique opportunity to speak with the playwright, Jared Mallard, who shared that the story emerged from real-life scenarios he had witnessed among his students. This insight helped the cast understand not only the what of the story, but the why, giving them a foundation for empathy and authenticity in their performances.
For actors like Jasmine Mungai, Gr. 11 (Sadie) and Youxi Sun, Gr. 9 (Madi), this meant diving into emotionally intense scenes that demanded vulnerability and trust. Katie noted, “They worked hard on the main argument scene and during their final performances, they were able to bring the level of emotion that was needed. I remember hearing people talk about this exact scene right after the show ended, showing that it was an impactful scene as we had hoped for it to be.”
Behind the scenes, leadership and teamwork were equally critical. Katie orchestrated the production’s complex logistics, from cue calls to set transitions. She described her focus on supporting the cast: “The most rewarding thing is being able to support the cast and use my creativity to try and create something that interests people and surprises them… I love it when the show starts to come together, and the cast really gets into their characters, and the show cues are smooth.”
Skyla Smith and Eunju Kim supported the production in the critical role of publicity and communication. Skyla created three NIS Friday newsletter articles, planning the content and writing the text. Together with Eunju, they also designed and built the marquee display and created social media templates to highlight the individual actors. As everyone knows, publicity is key to getting a full audience. There was also a “breaking news-flash” promotional video spot on the school monitors that piqued interest in passerbys noticing the monitors. Their work required precision, creativity, and cooperation with both cast and crew to ensure the materials reflected the tone and themes of the production.
The technical team — nine students in total — brought the world of the play to life with lighting, sound, projections, sets, and costumes. From setting the stage to selecting the perfect music cues, these students worked to create a seamless, immersive experience. Each contribution demanded risk-taking, creative problem-solving, and disciplined time management. Vitale reflected that she could rely on her crew for all of that, stating that it only took a couple of conversations and sharing the production’s vision boards with her students for them to pick up the feeling and create the atmosphere that she wanted.
Even with the technical challenges of electronic equipment, students just took their cues and delivered…like Nate Brown and Brad Groves on Light and Sound, respectively. Katie reflected, “There were times where I was worried about the show, but deep down I knew that it would all turn out okay… as show night approaches, I usually get nervous about being able to call my cues, but Nate, Brad, and this year Dr. Kevin [Weingarten, MYP theater, PYP/MYP music teacher ] had my back in the booth and helped all the cues go smoothly.”
The production’s impact went beyond individual performances or technical accomplishments. As Vitale reflected in the program, the students overcame challenges — illness, emotional intensity, and learning complex character dynamics — with perseverance, growth, and hard work.
The production became a shared lesson in striving for personal bests, whether through actors finding deep emotional reservoirs or tech crew members discovering the perfect sound or projection to enhance a scene. Katie emphasized, “Each scene revealed something more about the characters, and the actors really focused on what their characters’ personalities were.” Every moment of collaboration and reflection is aligned with the IB commitment to inquiry, care, and principled engagement.
Ultimately, Are We Okay? was a triumph not only for the stories told on stage, but for the skills and dispositions students cultivated along the way — time management, risk-taking, organization, and creative problem solving.
For Vitale, the hardest part of the night was letting go of the reins for once. But after handing off the walkie-talkie to Katie, this seasoned teacher and director got to be a part of the audience for once, knowing that her crew had worked hard and were in control. When asked about the definition of a successful show, she reflected, “...it's nice to get personal kudos. But the success lies in where the students were when they first started and where they got to - the personal growth, not just as an actor, but as a person. That, to me, is why I teach theater.”
Katie reflected that theatre taught her to take initiative, manage responsibilities, and trust in the collective process: “Theatre has shaped who I am now by showing me how much background work is put into a production… I see myself carrying these experiences into my life in the future when working with others to take initiative in projects.”
Skyla echoed this, noting that working on a production that combined design, communication, and teamwork clarified her future interests: “This experience showed me that I really enjoy working in roles that combine creativity, communication, and design… It’s made me more confident in considering future opportunities in areas like marketing, design, communications, or event management.”
As for Vitale, many of her seasoned crew are upperclassmen, ready to graduate or move on. But spring will roll around, and the middle school musical (she’ll be assisting Dr. Kevin) will present another opportunity for her to nurture students into these important behind-the-scenes roles.
In the end, Are We Okay? became more than just a high school play. It was a mirror held up to the digital age, and a chance to portray a vital message to peers. It was also a demonstration of student agency and a living example of how the IB approach fosters holistic growth. It challenged students to dig deep, to collaborate meaningfully, and to leave the production with invaluable skills and knowledge. These are takeaways that will resonate long after the final curtain falls.