The Franklin High School Theater Company performed the play “The Yellow Boat” as part of the Massachusetts High School Drama Festival held by METG, becoming one of 15 groups to make the State Finals out of 88 schools that entered. (Photo Courtesy Maggie Warren)
FRANKLIN — Superintendent Lucas Giguere and Principal Dr. Maria Weber are proud to congratulate the Franklin High School Theater Company for its moving performance of “The Yellow Boat,” as part of this year’s competitive Massachusetts Educational Theater Guild (METG) festival.
The production, of a play based on the tragic story of a child with congenital hemophilia, reached the State Finals.
The 32 Franklin High School students, including cast and crew, staged “The Yellow Boat” in the State Finals at John Hancock Hall in Boston on March 28. The Franklin High School Theater Company was one of 15 groups to make the State Finals for the Massachusetts High School Drama Festival held by METG, out of 88 schools that entered the competition during the preliminary round.
The festival, which calls on each group to perform a 40-minute, one-act play, also includes a preliminary round and a semifinal round, with each stage judged by a team of METG Adjudicators.
“It’s a real privilege to be with these kids. They are a really magical group,” said Franklin High School Drama Director Chloe Selznick, who is in her first year leading the program. “We’re all just very grateful. When we took group photos at the State Finals, instead of saying ‘cheese,’ the kids would say, ‘We weren’t supposed to be here!’ There’s a lot of gratitude within the company.”
Selznick, a 2020 Franklin High School graduate, who earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Hofstra University, said “The Yellow Boat” was influential to her years ago, and she thought the play would allow her students an opportunity for growth as well.
“The Yellow Boat” is the true story of Benjamin, who was born with congenital hemophilia, and died in 1987 at the age of 8 due to AIDS-related complications after receiving a blood transfusion. The play, published in 1997, was written by Benjamin’s father, David Saar.
“As heartbreaking as that is, Benjamin’s story wasn’t just defined by his illness,” Selznick said. “‘The Yellow Boat’ was a way to tell his story that was joyful, whimsical and childlike, and it was able to bring him to life. This made for a good artistic challenge for these young artists as they continue to grow as actors. I think they handled it wonderfully. They handled it in a way that’s sensitive but truthful.”
The reaction from the audience and judges included “a lot of tears,” she said.
“It felt nice to know that people were touched by the story in the same way that we had been,” Selznick said. “The judges’ feedback was wonderful. It was nice to get feedback from people in the theater world. The kids really valued that as well.”
In addition to the State Finals, the Franklin High School Theater Company performed “The Yellow Boat” during the METG festival’s preliminary round on March 3 at Wayland High School and during the semifinals on March 15 at Framingham High School.
The Franklin High School Theater Company was assisted in its production of “The Yellow Boat” by Erin Ferreira, who came on as a volunteer to be the show’s movement director and assistant director. Franklin High School student Riley MacDonald served as the production’s dramaturg, providing classmates with a research package about “The Yellow Boat,” containing insight into the context of the play, showing how the story should be handled with sensitivity and truthfulness.
Throughout the METG festival, the Franklin High School students witnessed 25 plays staged by drama groups from other schools in the matter of a month.
“Most people won’t see one play in a year, let alone see that many,” Selznick said. “It was a real treat all around. It was a wonderful experience. There was a lot of support. Now, afterwards, there’s a lot of gratitude.”
The METG Festival is a prestigious annual event for high school theater companies, and this marked the 94th year of the competitive drama festival.
METG also has a middle school division and a musical theater division. In addition to the annual METG Festival held in March, the organization also facilitates a series of acting and technical theater scholarship contests held in December.
This experience with the METG Festival will provide some momentum for the Franklin High School Theater Company ahead of its next production, a musical called “Urinetown,” with showings planned for June 13-14.
Principal Weber and Superintendent Giguere congratulated the Franklin High School drama performers for their success in the METG Festival and wished them the best on their upcoming productions.
“We are so impressed by the incredible skills and abilities of our stage performers, crew and everyone involved with staging this play,” Principal Weber said. “They possess great individual talents and also display incredible teamwork. Bravo to our students for an incredible run in the METG Festival. And bravo to Director Selznick for the guidance she is providing to this talented group.”
“I’d like to congratulate all of our stage performers and crew members who really put their hearts into these shows,” Superintendent Giguere said. “Their passion, talent and skills are inspirational. They really did a great job with this play. I’d also like to recognize Director Selznick and our other teachers, along with parents and all of our Franklin High School Theater Company supporters, who help make all of this possible.”
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Franklin High School Theater Company staged a moving performance of “The Yellow Boat,” a play based on the tragic story of a child with congenital hemophilia who died from AIDS-related complications that resulted from a blood transfusion. (Photo Courtesy Maggie Warren)
Throughout the METG festival, the students in the Franklin High School Theater Company witnessed 25 plays staged by drama groups from other schools in the matter of a month. (Photo Courtesy Maggie Warren)
“The Yellow Boat” is the true story of Benjamin, who died in 1987 at the age of 8 due to AIDS-related complications after receiving a blood transfusion. The play, published in 1997, was written by Benjamin’s father, David Saar. (Photo Courtesy Maggie Warren)
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