Theatre
The Theater Director, Jane McGinnes, teaches Middle School and High School theater electives and directs and produces shows in both divisions.
High School productions over the last few years include classic and contemporary works: All My Sons by Arthur Miller, The Learned Ladies by Moliere, The Government Inspector by Nikolai Gogol, Museum by Tina Howe, She Kills Monsters by Qui Nguyen, and Ghostlight By Stephen Gregg. Middle School plays include Darcy’s Cinematic Life by Christa Crewdson, A Simple Task by Alan Haehnel, Hoodie by Lindsey Price, and Oz by Don Zolidis. The current production, Influencers, was written by Jane McGinnes and is being workshopped and revised with the cast members. Musical productions in collaboration with the Country Day Choir elective include Into the Woods, Spamalot, and The Addams Family.
Modern Playwrights: Original Theater Takes the Spotlight
Student Hayley C. ‘27 and drama teacher Jane McGinnes are redefining the stage at Country Day through original, community-driven storytelling.
Hayley, inspired by classic survival stories and encouraged by McGinnes after receiving the 8th Grade Drama Award, wrote and staged an original play, Armageddon. With support from classmates and teachers, Hayley navigated the challenges of writing, revising, and collaborating to bring their story to life. “It was one of the most challenging things I’ve ever done,” they shared, “but I learned so much.”
Meanwhile, Ms. McGinnes’s own play Influence(rs)—written for the Middle School winter show—was recently accepted for publication by Eldridge Plays and Musicals. A professional actor and playwright with a background in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, McGinnes brings deep expertise and a collaborative spirit to her students.
Together, Hayley and Ms. McGinnes show how mentorship and creativity are at the heart of Country Day’s arts program—bringing bold, original stories to the stage.
