The World of Theater

    Theater in the world has existed since about the past 2,500 years. The earliest performances were from the Greek and then later, from the Romans.

     In Mérida, of the Extremadura autonomous community region of Spain, many Roman ruins are still standing and can be appreciated even now. One of these architectural marvels is the theater built when Mérida was the Roman city of Emrita Augusta, the capital of Lusitania. It was constructed in the years 15-16 BCE. The Roman theater is still in use throughout the year, for a variety of presentations.
     This theater is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a stop on our itinerary in Spain this coming March.

R. Aguilar

The following is an article from a Spanish student, Nathan Shu.

     In Houston, and all across America, people watch and participate in theater just like in Spain. There are all kinds of Theater. There is opera, plays, musicals, concerts, symphonies, and ballets.

Types of Theater

     In operas, there is only singing, and usually are very long. Some very popular operas are Carmen, La Traviata, La Behème, The Barber of Seville, and Madame Butterfly. 
     In plays, there might be speaking parts or some with little talking. It tells a story through talking. They can be very funny or dramatic. There can be crying, slapping, hitting, dying, murder, and much more. Some popular plays are - The Nerd, A Christmas Carol, The Diary of Anne Frank, the Diviner, Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Macbeth, and Lydia.

     Musicals are conveying stories through singing, dancing, and acting. Popular musicals are Rent (very highly recommend), Les Miserables, Lion King, Aladdin, Phantom of the Opera, Legally Blonde, Mary Poppins, Wicked, Aida, Billy Elliot, Hairspray, Addams Family, Miss Saigon, and If/then.

     Symphonies, Orchestras and Concerts can also be heard and seen on theater

      Ballets are shows that tell a story through dance. There isn’t any talking but there is a symphony or orchestra playing music while they dance. A VERY popular ballet is called the Nutcracker. Others are Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Don Quixote, and Romeo and Juliet.
      Some cool Christmas shows are Nutcracker (ballet) and A Christmas Carol (Play). These shows are traditional to see for some families.

Pershing MS Theater

     At Pershing, we do lots of the types of theater. We have plays, musicals, dance/ballets, concerts (with a choir), Orchestra and Band, and we have a gymnastics class that sometimes performs. We have 2 theater teachers, a dance teacher, a choir teacher, and a gymnastics teacher. We put on LOTS of shows. Some musicals the Pershing theater department have put on are Hairspray, Onstage, Legally Blonde, Les Miserables, Bye Bye Birdie, and right now we are working on Mary Poppins. Some Plays we have put on are, Charlie Brown’s Christmas, The Nerd, the Bully Plays, The Lottery, Macbeth, The Comedy of Errors, Lost in Texas, and right now there are 4 plays in progress. There have been many choir concerts, and dance shows too.

     I myself am an actor. I’ve been in many plays and musicals. They are SO MUCH FUN to do, but they are hard work. When you are in a musical, you have to learn your lines, interpret your lines, learn your songs, and learn your dances. There is also sets, props, lights, sounds, and microphones you have to work with. As hard as it is, it is SO MUCH FUN!! Some shows I have been in are Legally blonde, the Nerd, Charlie Brown, History of musical theater, Macbeth, and I’m working on Mary Poppinns and other shows right now. I hope you will go and listen to some musicals, or watch plays now!

Nathan Shu