Theater

Whether you’re a seasoned performer or you are auditioning for your very first role, The Governor’s Academy’s theater afternoon program is a wonderful place to express your creativity. Our student actors, musicians, and technicians dedicate themselves to true teamwork and excellence on stage.

In the Wilkie Center for the Performing Arts, faculty offer their unconditional support, helping you build the courage to try something new. There are three seasons in which to join us in a production: fall drama, the winter musical, and spring drama. The fall and spring seasons typically showcase a straight play, comedy, or student-written work while students in the winter season put up a main stage musical production. 

Prefer to stay out of the spotlight? Fantastic! Join us backstage in technical theater during any season or play an instrument in our winter musical’s student pit band! In technical theater, you can learn how to program lights and design sound for our main stage musical, or build elaborate sets for a student-directed show. And our pit band program is one of the best instrumental ensembles at Governor’s, featuring some of the most talented students from both the Academy Orchestra and the Jazz Band. 

As an added bonus, all of our theater productions are free and open to the public. Come join us in Byfield for a show!

Students at The Governor's Academy setting up a stage before a school play.
director directs a student during musical rehearsal on stage

On Stage

No stranger to the Bergmann Theater, Jack Norton '17 returned to the stage at Govs in 2023 as Director of the winter musical. He directed Pippin in his first year and Little Women in his second year. During the academic day, Norton can be found in Parsons Schoolhouse teaching Spanish. As a student at Govs, Norton starred in the winter musical each season including Guys and Dolls (Sky Masterson) and 1776 (John Adams). Before returning to Byfield, he served as Franklin & Marshall College’s music director for two Broadway revues (F&M Players). As an actor, Norton has most recently appeared in productions of The Addams Family (Gomez) and Legally Blonde (Prof. Callahan).