Governor's School play 'fun and energetic'; Alzheimer’s Foundation announces college scholarships: Chalkboard
STAUNTON — Sympathy Jones is a secretary at a spy agency, but her biggest dream is to be an actual spy. It's the males in the agency who get to work on super secret missions, while all Jones gets to do is type and fetch coffee.
"A lot of her co-workers think that she can't be a spy because she's a woman," explained Waynesboro junior Riley Reed. "So Sympathy sort of takes things into her own hands and decides that she's going to be a spy. And she's going to solve this huge case."
Reed plays Jones in the upcoming Shenandoah Valley Governor's School production of "Sympathy Jones: The New Secret Agent Musical." The show will run Thursday through Sunday, Jan. 25-28 at ShenanArts in Staunton.
"I think it's a very comedic show," said Reed, who has been performing in musicals since elementary school. "I love that it's stage combat heavy, which is something that I don't get to do a lot in shows. And so it's really cool to be able to do a lot of that. And I also think that it's a very well written show with very well-fleshed out characters. It's just very clever."
Cassy Whitacre, who teaches theatre and film at Gov School, is directing the musical. She first came across the show six years ago in a teacher forum and really liked the topic and the music, saying it felt fresh. At the end of last year, she included it in a short list of options for this year's musical and the students loved "Sympathy Jones" also.
"I just think it's fun and energetic and still has some fun messages of not just female empowerment, but also kind of everybody's finding their strength and finding the moment to seize their opportunity," Whitacre said. "But also not being afraid to ask for help to find somebody who balances your weaknesses with their strengths. And so I like those parts of it."
Staunton senior Jayden Golder plays rookie agent Henry Greene. He got the job through nepotism since his cousin is the agency's most famous spy, Nick Steele (played by Jacob Hostetter). Steele is unable to go out on a mission for reasons that the audience will see early on, so the job falls to Greene.
"I like the fact that he's a very silly guy," Golder said about his character. "I don't know how to put it other than that. He's very timid, but he has random spurts of confidence. And those make him a kind of complex character because sometimes he's just very basic, scared, and other times he has to put on his big boy pants and go."
He ends up being joined in the mission by Jones, who seizes the opportunity when a top-secret file lands on her desk. Greene isn't thrilled that she is crashing his assignment, but eventually they realize that their odds are better if they work together.
Performance times are Thursday through Saturday, Jan. 25-27, at 7 p.m.; and Sunday, Jan. 28, at 3 p.m. Tickets are $10 for students 18 and under, $12 for senior citizens and college students, and $15 for adults. The performance is recommended for ages 8 and up. To purchase tickets, please visit www.ShenanArts.org.
In addition to Reed, Golder and Hostetter, the musical stars Aiden McQuain and Will Otto as the show's villains.
Other cast members include Chester Johnston and Bella Klemm as the agency staff, Keira Harrison who plays a lounge singer with mysterious motives, and Ryan Workman as the inventor of the dangerous technology that is at the center of the case.
Ari Bennett, Tristyn Bowersox, Adelie Condra, Lauren Ghidoni, Charlotte Hudson, Tac Shepherd, Jav Stell, and Fish Trella-Luedtke will play an ensemble of agents and evil henchman.
"I think that people should definitely come see the show because it's an amazing and fun experience," Reed said. "And I think anyone would enjoy it. It's just a very enjoyable experience."
Scholarship for high school seniors impacted by Alzheimer's
High school seniors impacted by Alzheimer’s disease can earn up to $5,000 for college through the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America’s (AFA) Teen Alzheimer’s Awareness Scholarship Contest. Students can enter the contest by visiting www.alzfdn.org/scholarship.
“You’re never too young to make a difference in the lives of others, and teens are showing that every day in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease,” said Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr., AFA’s president and CEO. “Teens across the country are helping to care for loved ones with Alzheimer’s, volunteering at care settings, raising awareness, and even conducting scientific research. We encourage them to share their stories through this scholarship contest.”
College-bound high school seniors are invited to apply for the scholarship by submitting an essay (1,500 words maximum) or submitting a video (four minutes in length or less), describing how Alzheimer’s disease has impacted their lives and what they have learned about themselves, their family and/or their community through their experience with Alzheimer’s.
Entries can be submitted by visiting www.alzfdn.org/scholarship. The deadline for submissions is April 1, 2024, at 5 p.m. Students already attending college are not eligible to participate.
“Through the stories and struggles of many teens impacted by Alzheimer’s disease, it is our hope a new generation will use their experiences to bring awareness on the impact of the disease and advocate for more caregiver support and research in the years to come,” said Stephanie Evans Ariker, AFA’s Director of External Relations.
Experiences that students can write about include:
Having a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease or another dementia-related illness
Helping care for someone with Alzheimer’s disease or another dementia-related illness
Volunteering or working in a care setting that serves individuals with dementia
Raising Alzheimer’s awareness in their school or community
Conducting Alzheimer’s research
The first-place winner receives a $5,000 scholarship. Additional prizes awarded for runners up and honorable mentions. More than $428,000 in college scholarships have been awarded since the program’s inception.
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— Patrick Hite is The News Leader's education reporter. Story ideas and tips always welcome. Contact Patrick (he/him/his) at phite@newsleader.com and follow him on Twitter @Patrick_Hite. Subscribe to us at newsleader.com.
This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: Shenandoah Valley Governor's School musical, plus Alzheimer’s Foundation scholarship
