The Knox County Middle School Drama Club, coached by Mayla McKeehan, has spent many weeks writing, practicing, creating scenery, and performing before the camera. As a result two iMovies have recorded the short plays “Words Hurt”, written by Lori Gambrel, and “May Hemm: Babysitter”, written by Morgan Callahan, Abby Moran, Kristen Stamper, and William Perry. Dakota Smith worked as assistant director and helped Ms. Mckeehan with rehearsals and technical aspects of the project. All of the Drama Club students created the scenery. The technical crew, Tara Newsome, Jarrette Maxie, and Christy Collins, and Brittney Butcher, helped throughout rehearsals.
Cast members of “Words Hurt” are: Makayla Lowery, Mary Hobbs, Felicity Faulkner, Meighan Mills, Chastity Shelton, and Tyler Cox. Special acapella songs are performed by Felicity Faulkner, Morgan Callahan, and Rhonda Caplinger. Performing in “May Hemm: Babysitter” are the following actors: Morgan Callahan, Abby Moran, William Perry, Kristen Stamper, Dakota Smith, and Rhonda Caplinger.
A technology grant used to create the iMovies was awarded to Ms. McKeehan through the Berea College Gear-up Partnership and paid for with Federal Funds. KCMS Drama classes have used their iPads to create photography collages, graphic art designs, play scripts, bell ringer notes, and, in iMovie Enrichment classes, student-produced iMove trailers and short iMovies. Additionally, Drama students video-recorded their peers’ dance projects. Afterwards, all the dancers were able to view their choreography and performances on the classroom Smart Board.