Drama

Another source of creativity and learning at Hillcrest Academy is in the drama program. Hillcrest has a long history of performing arts including drama and musicals. Each year we perform classic musicals or dramas as well as contemporary and period pieces. 

All performances take place in our state-of-the-art 557 seat Fine Arts center, Celebration Hall.

Upcoming Performance

MOM’S GIFT, a comedy by Phil Olson

In this comedy with a heart, Mom has been dead for 11 months and shows up at her husband’s birthday party as a ghost with a mission. Like Clarence in “It’s A Wonderful Life,” she has to accomplish a task to earn her wings. Only what the task actually is, is a mystery. There are so many things to fix. The problem is complicated by the fact that the only person who can hear or see Mom is her daughter who has been ordered by the court to spend Dad’s birthday with him as part of her Anger Management Program. One by one the family’s secrets are peeled away revealing a shocking truth that surprises even our ghost. 

General admission tickets for all three performances of Mom’s Gift can be purchased by calling (319-656-2073) or emailing (office@hillcrestravens.org) the school office or at the door of each performance. Doors will open 30 minutes before each show.

General Admission | Friday, November 5 at 7:00 PM

General Admission | Saturday, November 6 at 7:00 PM

General Admission | Sunday, November 7 at 3:00 PM

Past Performances

The spring drama production of Women Who Weave featured three performances on April 10 & 11. The performance was directed by Michael Swartzendruber. 

The fall of 2020’s scheduled production will took a new direction due to limitations on traditional performances due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Three students selected Monologues to prepare and perform in the three standard genres: dramatic, classic and comedic. After memorization and direction, Meredith Blossom, Ivana Ebersole, and Sarah Miller were recorded in audition format on the Celebration Hall stage.

Beauty and the Beast

The performances of the musical Beauty and the Beast were held on Saturday, November 9 and Sunday, November 10, 2019. The musical was directed by Michael Swartzendruber and Mike Wagner.

Peter Pan & Wendy

Peter Pan and Wendy was performed on May 4-5, 2019 and was directed by Michael Swartzendruber. 

2018 Children’s Drama

The 2018 Children’s Drama was performed on April 28-29, 2018. The dramas featured fresh tellings of the old stories of Hansel and Gretel, 3 Little Wolves (and the big bad pig) and Mushkil Gusha.

Anne of Green Gables

The performances of the musical Anne of Green Gables were held on November 4-5, 2017 and directed by Michael Swartzendruber and Alisa Kandel.

2017 Children’s Drama

The spring children’s drama under the direction of Donna Swartzendruber, Amy Drayfahl, Lorene Bender and Laurie Miller was held on April 29-30, 2017. The three productions were Jack and the Three Sillies, The Pretender Hen, and The Boy Who Cried Wolf. Between these plays were fun-loving performances of Dancing, Gymnastics, Stomp, and Synchronized Swimming. 

Those Crazy Ladies in the House on the Corner

Performances were held November 5-6, 2016 for Those Crazy Ladies in the House on the Corner by Pat Cook and directed by Megan Miller (’06) and Allison Yoder (’09).