FINE ARTS

In the Spotlight

Despite Covid-related restrictions, the Upper and Middle School drama departments declared, “The show must go on!” ...safely, of course! In early April, the Upper School delighted three masked and socially distanced audiences with a wildly creative and entertaining production, “Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind,” which featured 30 two-minute plays, all performed randomly based on audience selection. In May, the Middle School presented “The Complete History of Theatre (Abridged),” a fun, irreverent comedy filled with theatre jokes.

Regional Literary Competition

On Saturday, April 10, 10 SCDS students competed in the GHSA (Georgia High School Association) 2021 Regional Literary Competition. All represented our school extremely well, which made for a lengthy deliberation from the judges! In the music categories, our boys quartet (Michael Doyle ‘21, James Strength ‘22, Ben Templeton ‘24 and Lane McCullough ‘22) won first place, Michael Doyle won boys vocal solo, Ava Hall ‘21 won girls vocal solo, and, in extemporaneous speaking, Chris Jenkins ‘21 won the international category. The other students who competed were Anna Wylly ‘22, Laura Taylor ‘22, Alex Kaminsky ‘23 and Kendall Yarber ‘22.

Scholastic & Congressional Art Awards

Congratulations to our students honored with Scholastic and Congressional Art Awards.

SCHOLASTIC ART AWARDS:

Abby Nicholson ‘22, Gold Key & Silver Key Fina Dooley ‘22, Gold Key Lauren Sparks ‘22, Gold Key & Silver Key Anna Wollenburg ‘22, Honorable Mention Michael Federowicz ‘22, two Honorable Mentions Vivian Huang ‘21, three Honorable Mentions

CONGRESSIONAL ART SHOW:

Abby Nicholson ‘22, photography Michael Federowicz ‘22, photography John Neely ‘22, pottery Truc Mi Hoang ‘21, 3D printed design Vivian Huang ‘21, photography (Honorable Mention)

Country Day 2020-21 Fine & Performing Arts Awards

Hoke Bouchillon Scholarship:

Pericles Lelos ‘22

The National School Orchestra

Award: Ridge Chang ‘21 and Alston McCaslin ‘21

Louis Armstrong Jazz Award:

Chris Jenkins ‘21 and Connor Brown ‘21

The National School Choral

Award: Michael Doyle ‘21 Proscenium Award: Jacob Barid ’23 and Alexis Almeida ‘22

FINE ARTS

Arts Ensembles Shine

The Performing Arts Ensembles closed out the year with several incredible concerts that showcased the dedication and talent of our students! It was the final SCDS performance for the members of the class of 2021: Ava Hall, Michael Doyle, Wilson Player, Sarah Palmer, Chris Jenkins, Connor Brown, Jack Vaught, David Byck, Blake Huennekens, John Austin, Vaibhav Patel, Sowah Adjei, Lucas Miller, Alston McCaslin, and Ridge Chang.

“12 Angry Jurors” Cast & Crew Stack on the Accolades

The Upper School Drama Department’s one-act production of “12 Angry Jurors” — a thought-provoking play centered around the themes of justice and reasonable doubt — received rave reviews and accolades this spring. The cast and crew took first-place honors at the Regional Competition, along with three All-Star Cast members and best actress Kylie Williams ‘21! They took home third-place at the very competitive GHSA State Competition, with Silas Johnson ‘24 and Aidan Eyth ‘23 receiving All-Star Cast honors. In April, the cast and crew participated in the Georgia Southern High School One Act Play Festival and came away with awards for “Best Play” as well as “Best Actor” for Aidan Eyth ‘23. Congratulations to the entire cast and crew of “12 Angry Jurors” for dedicating themselves to a challenging and ultimately meaningful piece of theatre!

Lower School Strings Performs Al Fresco

The dedication and creativity of our faculty never wavered throughout this unusual year. In mid-May, strings teacher Paula Swart and her team created a week-long outdoor concert series for her youngest musicians and their parents to enjoy, which was a welcome respite for both students and parents alike.

World Strides Performing Arts Virtual Music Festival

Bravo to our Upper School choir on their second-place finish (a Silver Award) in the World Strides Performing Arts Virtual Music Festival that was announced in an online awards ceremony in mid-March. The choir competed with schools from New Mexico to New York state.

Middle School Arts Showcase

In early May, Middle School artists spread out over campus and presented an afternoon of fine and performing arts! Visual artists hosted a colorful and creative gallery throughout Pape Hall while drama, orchestra, jazz band and chorus performed in Jelks Auditorium and Triol Hall.

Students Establish Black Art History Competition

In mid-April, Upper School students Leyla Patel ‘23 and Phil-Isabelle Ajayi ‘23 organized and curated a fantastic and educational Black Art History Competition, in which submitted pieces showcased both artistic ability and a deeper understanding of the multitude of contributions from the Black community. The winners of the competition included Brayden Heiges ‘23 (1st place), Sydney Hoye ‘24 (2nd place) and Sophie Jenkins ‘23 (3rd place).