DRAMA
"I regard the theater as the greatest of all art forms, the most immediate way in which a human being can share with another the sense of what it is to be a human being."
- Oscar Wilde -
O’Dowd’s rich drama program gives students the opportunity to express their passions, develop agency, and learn to artistically interrogate local and global issues. Through intimate classes alongside full-scale productions, students learn voice and movement, acting, improvisation, character and scene development, and playwriting.
Our facilities include a modern professional theater, as well as a state-of-the-art black box theater for more exploratory performances. Students are encouraged to direct and produce original work, as well as perform both classical and cutting-edge plays and musicals.
“In theater, we are humanitarians. We make change by telling stories. That’s our charism for social justice. We help people see the world differently, and we motivate them to action.”
- Trina Oliver, Dramatic Arts Teacher
Recent Productions
The Play That Goes Wrong
The Olivier and Tony Award-winning comedy The Play That Goes Wrong is a hilarious, fast-paced farce where an ill-fated drama society attempts to stage a 1920s murder mystery.
Sister Act
The Tony Award-nominated musical Sister Act is a hilarious, high-energy tale of a disco diva who witnesses a crime and finds refuge in a convent.
Little Shop of Horrors
The Olivier and Drama Desk Award-winning musical Little Shop of Horrors is a deliciously dark sci-fi comedy about an unfortuate florist, a sweet coworker, and a foul-mouthed, bloodthirsty alien plant.
Lost In Yonkers
The Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning play Lost in Yonkers is a masterfully crafted comic drama centered on family obligations, survival, and the enduring power of love.
International Thespian Society
This organization celebrates student dedication by awarding points for exceptional work on and off the stage, providing members with graduation honors, scholarship opportunities, and regional theater festival access. We are Troupe 12803!
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Drama Faculty
Meredith Barnidge, Drama Program Manager, Teacher
Meredith earned her BA in Literature and Language with an emphasis in Script Writing from Webster University in Missouri before going on to work in television, including America’s Funniest Home Videos and The Drew Carey Show. She has led high school theater for the last decade, and she loves supporting students to lead the artistic vision for a play.