In the last two years, the drama club has faced a lot of challenges. Performers have worked without a functioning auditorium, seen two directors step down, and this year missed a fall show.

“By the time we got everything together [to begin auditions], students that would have been interested were already involved in a number of outside performances, and so we weren’t able to to solicit the interest internally as we’d hoped,” Principal Dr. Ed Klein said.

As of the fall, the drama department is under the direction of Justin Steck. Steck graduated from Cleveland State University with a degree in Performing Arts. He has worked in many other school districts including Garfield Heights High School and Middle School, Cuyahoga Heights High School and St. Ignatius High School. He has also worked with the Beachwood Community Theater.

For his first production, Steck chose the play Plaza Suite, a comedy by playwright Neil Simon. The plot focuses on a couple whose lives unfold  during three acts in a hotel room.

This play was originally chosen the fall production, but due to lack of student interest, it was delayed to the spring.

Theater was something that Steck first decided to try in middle school. A family friend who was subbing at the school suggested that Steck try acting.

“He approached me because he was going to be directing some of [the plays], and he asked [whether I had ever considered acting],” Steck said, “…and it took off from there.”

Music and acting run in Steck’s family. His mother got accepted to be a Rockette, but turned the offer down to raise a family. Steck’s father also has a passion for music.

Last year’s drama club director Pierre Brault directed The Great Gatsby and the 25th Annual Putnam Spelling Bee.

“I had a really great experience working with the students and the staff,” Brault said. “I thought we had two very successful productions in the year that I was there.”

“I really like Pierre,” drama club member junior Jasmine Howard wrote in a text, “He taught me some of what the real world of acting is like.”

Brault was careful to pick shows he thought students would enjoy.

“Picking the shows that I did was important so the students had an interest and an understanding and connection to the material,” Brault said.

Brault said he was unable to continue with the Beachwood drama club due to over-scheduling.

“There was a conflict of interest and a trust issue that happened,” he added. “It felt like the right time to step away.”

Brault currently runs his own theater company and works for recording artist Jim Brickman as his booking agent. Brault also had these jobs when he was employed at Beachwood.

Klein pre-approves all the shows before auditions can start.

“Whomever the drama director is will come to me with their suggestion…I’ll look it over and decide if it’s one that’s appropriate for school,” Klein said “I’m not looking so much as to what student interest is going to be, but it’s more about school appropriateness.”

Since the auditorium is in disrepair, the drama club faces faces a challenge in finding a location for their shows.

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“That also affected why I choose Plaza Suite, because you only have to worry about one interior set,” Steck said.

The drama club performed its two shows last year in the community room. The space didn’t sway Brault’s mind when it came to what shows to perform.

“I’m a very outside the box thinker, I didn’t mind having an open space,” Brault said.

“ Honestly I just want the arts to be noticed,” Howard said. “They are not noticed here as much as they should be.”

Klein agrees.

“We’d like to see student interest grow in that program.”