by Sabina Jafri ‘20

Last month, I witnessed a performance that every student at Sherwood who whines about their double-crossing friend, being grounded, or not owning a car deserves to see. Like these students, nurse Nellie Forbush of Little Rock, Arkansas has been sheltered and privileged her entire life. Smart as she may be, Nellie had never been made to interact with “the other,” that is, until she falls in love with a secretive Frenchman while she is stationed on an island in the Pacific Ocean in 1943 during World War II.

Olney Theatre Center’s rendition of “South Pacific,” first published as a novel in 1947, exhibits so much skill and grace that it rivals the musical’s Broadway debut itself. Under Olney’s stellar directing and brilliant lights, Jessica Lauren Ball, who portrays Nurse Forbush, carries the weight of ignorance and blind racism to center stage, where she unpacks it nightly for captivated audiences.

As Nellie struggles to accept her lover’s Polynesian children due to the sun-kissed color of their skin, I am reminded of my peers who never stray from their social groups for fear of the social exile and isolation. I see Nellie’s restlessness as she grapples with deep-seated racism that is holding her life at bay, just as I see an athlete avoid eye contact with a boy sitting alone on the side of the hall, also for fear of the unknown. We all must learn to love the other, that is, to connect with and protect those who are different than us, I realized, as the curtain closed on Nellie finally accepting the young children.

This timeless story requires, as all great musicals do, truly extraordinary attention to detail. The phenomenal production team at Olney Theatre gave it just that. There is not a single show in Olney’s theatrical season that doesn’t radiate, over booming speakers and sensational orchestral music, a call to action that all teenagers need to hear. Each show that graces the stage preaches awareness of others’ hardships, triumphs, and very existence.

It is vital that every Sherwood student listen to messages are being sung into the world from their own backyard, something that the theatre also realizes. Beginning with the founding of the Teen Council last year, teenage outreach efforts have become one of Olney Theatre’s primary focuses. In the months that followed the founding of the council, free tickets were given away to any teenagers who expressed interest in viewing mainstage productions. Those teenagers were invited to workshops, panels with theatre professionals, and discussions about the shows they experienced.

So, theater-lovers, what are you waiting for? Show Olney Theatre you care, and you may just find a free ticket—and a whole lot of wisdom—heading your way.