Class I Play Builds Community and Teaches Environmental Responsibility
January 11, 2024—The annual Class I play is a time-honored tradition that is designed to unite Winsor’s incoming class of students and build community. Working together, all 32 students spend their very first semester preparing for the performance. This year’s play, Why the Sky is Far Away, was written by Theater Director Jeremy Johnson. An adaptation of a popular Nigerian folktale, the story is about the sky once being so close to the Earth that people could eat it. However, people’s desire for more than they needed caused the sky to move far away. In response, the Earth offered itself to the people, as long as they promised to be responsible and take care of it. Ultimately the story teaches the village—and the audience—a valuable lesson about sustainability and our role in caring for the environment. Four original songs composed by Choir Director Andrew Marshall were sung by the cast with choreography created by Dance Faculty Ann-Marie Ciaraldi. The vibrant costumes were designed by Performing Arts Faculty Sylvi Re and Jessica Pribble. An all-school assembly on Thursday, January 11 was dedicated to the show with faculty, staff, and the entire student body cheering and supporting Winsor’s fifth graders. Class I parents came to campus for an encore performance later in the afternoon. After the show, the Winsor Parents’ Association Performing Arts Liason’s Doug Bowen-Flynn P’25 and Annelena Lobb P’29 hosted a reception and Class I families supported the event with all kinds of treats including stroopwafels and lemonade.
WHY THE SKY IS FAR AWAY Cast
Villager 1/Sky – Alex Chen
Villager 2/Sky – Amalia Ayres
Villager 3/Sky – Ellie Ding
Villager 4/Sky – Shylee Feingold
Villager 5/Sky – Sara Arango Ortega
Kid 1 – Vidya Cohen
Kid 2 – Ria Vartak
Kid 3 – Eve Kuhlmann
Kid 4 – Shreya Swaroop
Grandma 1 – Navya Varanasi
Grandma 2 – Olivia Gracia
Grandma 3 – Avni Maniar
Grandma 4 – Laena Humphrey
Villager 6/Earth – Alyssa Liang
Villager 7/Earth – Wren Gourley
Villager 8/Earth – Olivia Sagong
Villager 9/Earth – Annika Thakarar
Villager 10/Earth – Sisi Tesfay
Oba – Evangelia Faith Volandes
Queen – Rhea Avari
Villager 11 – Claire Ban
Villager 12 – Lakshmi Cohen
Villager 13 – Emily Doe
Villager 14 – Eleanor Fryer
Villager 15 – Sarah Fu
Osato – Emma Alexiev
Otolo – Jiya Vachhani
Villager 16 – Olivia Ma
Villager 17 – Amy Miller-Lu
Villager 18 – Isabella Mejia
Villager 19 – Sophia Zhang
Villager 20 – Nepheli Pantazis
