The Stone Memorial High School Panther Tales Players are starting the new school year with a season of growth, opportunity, and new productions.
The theatre program kicked off the year with a successful car wash, raising money to help fund the club’s upcoming productions and other expenses to help support the Panther Tales Players by continuing to provide students with opportunities to perform, create, and develop their skills in theatre and beyond.
“The Panther Tales Players have continued to experience tremendous growth each year, with approximately 130 students expressing interest during sign-ups at the beginning of this school year,” said director and head sponsor Eleni Fragopolouos, a member of the SMHS faculty. “New members have joined at every grade level, 9-12, because it is never too late to become part of the group.”
SMHS has added a second Theatre II production class for the fall semester. The school will also offer a dual introduction to theater course in the spring, allowing current theater students to get a jump-start on their careers, or any SMHS student can earn a fine arts college credit through the collaboration with Roane State Community College that can be applied toward their desired degree.
“Beyond the spotlight, theatre provides students with valuable skills and real-world experiences that extend far beyond acting,” Fragopolouos said.
The Panther Tales Players is a student-driven program in which students can learn and work in every area of a theatrical production. In addition to performing, students have opportunities to become designers and technicians working with lighting, sound, sets, costumes, and props, while others serve as backstage crew members and stage managers responsible for keeping productions organized and running smoothly.
Students also gain experience in house management and front-of-house operations, including ticket sales, ushering, concessions, and creating a welcoming experience for patrons. Marketing and publicity are also largely student-run, giving students hands-on experience securing sponsors, designing playbills, tickets, posters, and T-shirts, and promoting their productions.
“Through these responsibilities, students develop communication, creativity, leadership, organization, collaboration, problem-solving, time management, accountability, and the ability to work effectively under pressure — skills that are valuable in college, the workforce, and everyday life,” Fragopoulos said.
Fragopoulos holds a Bachelor of Arts in theater from the University of Tennessee and a Master of Arts in theatre education from the University of Northern Colorado.
“Research has also found positive associations between participation in the arts and academic achievement, including performance on standardized assessments,” she said. “Theatre students are continually challenged to read closely, analyze scripts and characters, memorize information, communicate effectively, think critically, and apply what they have learned in new situations. Whether a student is performing onstage, operating a light board, constructing a set, managing backstage traffic, designing promotional materials, selling concessions, or welcoming an audience member, every role contributes to the larger production and teaches students that their individual work matters. These experiences help prepare students not only for success in the classroom, but also for the collaboration, responsibility, adaptability, and problem-solving demanded in college, careers, and everyday life.”
During the fall semester, the Panther Tales Players will present three productions. The after-school production will be Beetlejuice Jr., by Scott Brown, Anthony King and Eddie Perfect, opening Oct. 29 and running through Nov. 6.
“This is a must-see show,” Fragopoulos said.
The Theatre II class will perform A Wrinkle in Time, adapted by Morgan Gould from Madeleine L’Engle’s novel, in late November, with mostly new-to-the-stage performers.
The Theatre III Honors class will present Swoop, adapted by Lindsey Price from Aristophanes’ The Birds, with a limited number of performances in December.
“The spring semester will bring even more opportunities for students to showcase their talents and expand their theatre experience,” Fragopoulos said. “Theatre students will have the opportunity to attend the Tennessee Thespian Conference, or ThesCon, where they can participate in workshops covering virtually every aspect of theatre. Workshop offerings include unique experiences such as aerial silks, fight choreography, and voice-over work, as well as instruction in a wide range of onstage and backstage workshops, all run by professionals in those fields.”
Students can also audition for All-State opportunities in acting, singing, dancing, and technical theater, which Fragopoulos said may provide a pathway toward graduating with distinction. A newly added playwriting category will give students another opportunity to showcase their creativity and writing skills. Students who have been inducted into the International Thespian Society through their participation in theatre, both onstage and behind the scenes, can also vote for the state representatives who help oversee and organize this event.
In addition, students attending the conference will have the opportunity to connect with college representatives from across Tennessee, as well as representatives from several universities outside the state.
“With new classes, additional performance opportunities, and an expanding group of students, the PTP is continuing to build a strong theater program at Stone Memorial High School,” Fragopoulos said. “None of this growth would be possible without the generous support of the Panther Tales Players’ sponsors. These businesses and their contributions help make it possible for the program to expand its opportunities and provide students with meaningful experiences both on and off the stage.
Anyone interested in sponsoring or volunteering in any way is encouraged to reach out to Fragopoulos.
“As the curtain rises on a new school year, the Panther Tales Players are looking forward to a season filled with creativity, collaboration, and exciting possibilities,” she added.