The Meaning of the Season

The Maclay Performing Arts Department Presents “A Season of Light”

Photo by Sarah Samaan / Maclay Andalusian

On Friday Dec. 5 and Saturday Dec. 6, the Maclay Performing Arts Department presented “A Season of Light.” The show combined both the theatre and dance departments and showcased the talents of both middle and upper school.

The story follows a girl named Jesse (freshman Aubri Chaney), who is struggling to find a gift for her mother (junior Allie Wood). Jesse wants to get her a gift that truly means something, but nothing feels right. Eventually, she stumbles upon a snowglobe shop run by Mr. Kris (senior Bryson Willis), a very jolly shopkeeper. She soon discovers, however, that this isn’t a regular snowglobe shop. 

“Everytime she touches a snowglobe it transports her into a cultural and/or historical scene representing the different cultures that we celebrate in America and teaches her different lessons about the holidays and what they truly mean,” Artistic Director Adia Seckel said.

By the end of the show, Jesse understands that the holidays are about spending time with family and embracing the light of the season. Mr. Kris gives her a very special snowglobe that holds her and her family, and she rushes home, excited to give her mother the perfect gift. 

The cultural dances, including “Chunnukah,” “Diwali,” “A Hawaiian Christmas,” “Kwanza Celebration,” “Noche Buena” and “Auld Lang Syne,” gave dancers and actors the opportunity to share their cultures with their Maclay community and allowed other students to learn about their peers’ traditions. 

“[My favorite part] was being part of the cultural dance, ‘Kwanza,’” eighth-grader Elizabeth Holland said.

This year was the first time that the winter showcase combined the theatre and dance departments. In years past, the showcase was mostly dance and strongly based on the Radio City Rockettes’ Christmas Spectacular. The theatre department had a separate straight play in the fall that was strictly acting. In interest of time and space, the performing arts department decided to feature both dance and theatre in one holiday show.

“This year we had both musical theater and dance in the same performance,” junior Alexandra Holland said. “ It worked out really well because [there were] live performers for all the songs.”

While the collaboration made the overall show more immersive, there were some setbacks concerning rehearsals. As a result, Seckel is unsure what next year holds for the winter showcase.

“Whether it looks like this or we go back to a more full Rockettes style, we’ll keep some of the same elements,” Seckel said. “I just don’t know if it will be a collaboration.”

Overall,  “A Season of Light” was a success and the performing arts department is looking forward to what’s to come next semester. 

“We have ‘The Little Mermaid’ happening in April, and it’s a middle school/high school production,” Seckel said. “Then, in late April, we have our dance showcase which will be a lot of choreography pieces from the dance classes.”