New Leadership, New Shows Ahead for DJDS

In its fourth year, the Denver Jewish Day School theater program is heading into a season of changes and new opportunities. Students can look forward to two major productions, leadership shifts, and expanded participation for middle and lower division students. 

Chagit Gibor, the previous theater director, will share her role with Lower Division Art Teacher Rose Lucas, who will also serve as the show’s choreographer. Rebecca Hibshman will return as music director. 

This year, middle school students in sixth and seventh grade will have the chance to participate in both the lower division’s “The Little Mermaid” and the upper division’s “Grease.” 

Gibor, Lucas, and Hibshman hope that students who missed out on major roles last year will now have the opportunity to shine in the lower division production while gaining leadership experience with younger performers. 

The upper division’s show was not initially planned to be “Grease.” Over the summer, the team had considered “Beauty and the Beast” and later decided on a Disney theme for the Lower Division. “Chagit and I saw The Little Mermaid at the JCC, and we were very inspired,” Lucas said. 

When a Broadway tour of Beauty and the Beast made the rights prohibitively expensive, Gibor asked students for input on a replacement, including Les Misérables. While students voted in favor of Les Misérables, some expressed concerns about the school’s ability to stage such a complex production. 

Ultimately, Gibor selected Grease for the upper division, citing its memorable songs, fun choreography, and engaging characters. 

As in previous years, the upper division production will be staged at the Elaine Wolf Theater at the JCC. The lower division show will take place on campus and will include a special Hanukkah performance.

Fourth and fifth graders are creating musical parodies to tell the story of Hanukkah, with each grade performing its own Hanukkah song. More information about all of the productions will be shared soon. Students and faculty are looking forward to seeing the theater program continue to grow and evolve.