Writers' Symposium and Seussical take Center Stage

End the week with the opportunity to see and hear from talented Overlake actors and a best selling author.

Writers' Symposium 

Friday evening, author MK Asante holds an open reading from his memoir Buck. It's his story of growing up as a teen on the streets of Philadelphia. Through economic hardships, strained relationships, institutional racism, Asante survived and transformed that experience from past into a riveting book.  

As a writer, film maker, and professor, Asante brings Buck to our community as part of our Upper School Writers' Symposium. "Buck is about me, but it appeals to high school kids because the protagonist is a high schooler and connects with a lot of things they're going through at that age," says Asante. "When you deal with truth, you're dealing with universal truths meaning that we have differences among us, but what I've found is that we have so much more in common."

In an Upper School assembly, he summed up that commonality with the message of observation and obligation. "I've met some great students here who are kind, compassionate, and can feel where their hearts are and the intention behind it. The campus is like a college, and it's been a great experience to be here," explains Asante who also led writing workshops and had lunch with the Black Student Union. 

The public is invited to meet MK Asante at this evening's reading along with a question and answer session afterwards. It begins  event at 6:15pm in the Library. 

Seussical

Also beginning Friday evening and running into Sunday is our all-school musical Seussical the Musical. It's a great opportunity to see the hard work our students have put into this massive production of props, lighting, choreography, and drama. 

The musical numbers of full of color, energy, and emotions. The journey of the characters is in full display from the middle school actors who may be in their first production to the veteran Overlake actors. "There are characters with huge personal arcs and an unusual number of character-driven ensembles," says Director Bill Johns. "Like the books, our audience will be enchanted on the surface level with the music and the lyrics of the script as well as our sets, lights, costumes, singing, and dancing."

Senior Maggie M. says Seussical was the perfect topper for her Overlake drama experience because of the all-school cast. "It just seems like yesterday when I was on this stage looking up to the much older kids," says Maggie who plays Horton the Elephant. "Nobody told me back then, but I can tell you know that I've learned so much from the younger kids in this cast. They bring that energy to the stage with every rehearsal, and I think the audience is going to love it!"

With three shows on Friday and Saturday and a Sunday show featuring understudies, this weekend's run of Seussical is one you won't want to miss!

Click here to see a preview of the show along with times and ticket information.