The Holyoke High School Drama Club is currently raising money so they can produce two showings of a stage adaption of the beloved classic To Kill a Mockingbird. The drama club are enlisting The National Players, an educational non-profit and the oldest traveling theatre company in America, to bring Harper Lee’s novel to life.

The drama club hopes to hold two performances on May 4^th: one during the school day for all of the ninth graders and another at 6:30pm for the public. The evening performance is $10 for general admission, ½ price for students and seniors.

This production is a great thing for the city of Holyoke for several reasons. First, it promotes literacy, which is a central focus of the school system and city as a whole. It also helps unite the city around a common piece of literature, seeing as for generations everyone has read To Kill a Mockingbird as freshmen at Holyoke High. It also allows the Drama Club to learn about aspects of the theatre beyond acting: business skills, fundraising, and producing. In addition, profits from the show it will also help financially support the Club.

This great project needs your help!  The drama club needs at least $8,000 in order to hire the National Players. While the drama club is seeking corporate donations and sponsors, they are also running a GoFundMe page so that other gracious members of the community can contribute.

Michael Moriarty, a community member helping the drama club organize the fundraising efforts, thinks “this is a great service project and people are really going to appreciate what they’ve done when they see [the show].” The link to the GoFundMe page is here, if you would like to support literacy and the arts in Holyoke, please consider donating!

Angela Sweeney, the drama club advisor, said, “I’m so proud of how the students have taken to the project. They’re been writing letters, making promotional videos. And once again I’m amazed at the people in the community who want be involved. We’re so grateful for everyone’s help.”

See you May 4!