CHS Stage Makers present The Strength of Our Spirit

Oct. 19—CAIRO- The Cairo High School Stage Makers are busy preparing for their first production of the season, which will be their One Act Competition play. One Act is a GHSA classified fall sport where students begin their competition with a bare stage, and then have 55 minutes from start to finish to produce their show. This is an acting competition where students are scored based on their physical and emotional ability to interpret the text that they are performing.

Director Austin Harrell says that she read several shows in the spring before landing on The Strength of Our Spirit written by Cynthia Mercati.

"I read a script with a similar topic and was reminded of this beautiful show. In 2004, I performed in a production of this play with the CHS One Act Team, so being able to come full circle and direct it has really been such an honor for me," said Harrell.

According to Concord Theatricals, the licensing company for The Strength of Our Spirit, this show was first written and produced in 1998:

"Some of us found a way to fight. Some of us sang on our way to death. Some of us could only hope. All of us had a name," the company writes.

So starts the powerful play, The Strength of Our Spirit, based on actual events and real people. It is the story of what Anne Frank might have witnessed from her attic window, as her spirit pleaded for peace in the midst of the horrors around her.

It is set in Amsterdam, Holland, the narrator is Miriam, Anne's best friend, the last person to see Anne alive at the Bergen Belson concentration camp where they were both held prisoner. The play follows the stories of several real people, as they gather courage from one another to fight for freedom and dignity for all.

Miriam survived the ordeal. Anne did not. It is Miriam who tells the story.

There are dark moments in the play — but it leaves the audience with hope for the future, and a determination not to let such a thing happen again. As Rachel, Miriam's mother tells her, "Let your spirit soar like the gulls! In the strength of your spirit there is freedom!"

Interspersed in the play are actual poems written by young people during their times of hiding.

2023 marks the 90th anniversary of the beginning of The Holocaust, which most historians believe started with the appointment of Adolf Hitler as Chancellor of Germany in January of 1933. Harrell, who also teaches history at Cairo High School, felt strongly that producing this show would be an opportunity to educate students and audience members on the horrors of The Holocaust and also remember the millions that were lost.

In addition to learning their lines, blocking, and cues, the cast of The Strength of Our Spirit also read about children their age who fought back against the oppression they faced, learned the history of The Holocaust, and watched videos from survivors. They had a scheduled Zoom lesson with The Georgia Commission on the Holocaust before they ever began rehearsals. Every step of this production process was meticulously planned to ensure that this tragic event and the people who were killed are remembered and honored in the appropriate way.

Daniel Cruz-Gomez, a junior at CHS who plays a Nazi Soldier in the show, states that he learned more about The Holocaust than he ever knew.

"I felt angry learning about it," he said. "This has shown me that terrorism and genocide have no mercy on any age group from babies to the elderly and disabled. We cannot forget what has happened."

Jane Waver Willis, a sophomore, states that learning about events such as this can be hard, "being in any historical show can be difficult, especially when it's a hard topic like The Holocaust. I hope this show can remind everyone of the stories of the people that faced this tragedy, especially with the rise of tensions in Israel today."

Morgan Griffin, a junior that portrays the narrator, Miriam, encourages everyone to come see this show.

"I am honored to be a part of such a powerful message that sheds light on the unethical, cruel treatment of the Jewish people," she said. "This play will pull on the strings of your heart more than any textbook could."

Hannah Lynch, also a sophomore agrees, "acting out these roles on stage has helped me to understand what these people went through better than any history class. Tackling a show with this much raw emotion has not only helped my acting skills, but has grown me as a person altogether."

The Stage Makers will compete with this show in the GHSA Region 1-AAAA One Act Competition hosted at Cairo High School on Saturday, October 28th. Those interested can attend the one public performance of this production on Friday, October 27th at 7:00 p.m. in the Cairo High School Auditorium. Tickets are $5 and can be purchased at the door, or in advance online at https://bit.ly/stagemakers. The show does contain references to violence, simulated gunshots, and other content specific to The Holocaust that could be disturbing to some; please use discretion when choosing ages to attend.