About The Kuss Middle School Theater Program
The Matthew J. Kuss Theatre Arts Program was launched in the fall of 2005 as an extracurricular afterschool program by 8th grade English language arts teacher Charles Jodoin. Interested students met each week to create a Public Service Announcement video on anti-bullying for a state-wide contest sponsored by Bridgewater State College. At the end of the fall, the school was informed that the troupe had won third place. Especially significant was the fact that Kuss was the only middle school entry in a competition against high schools. That spring the group expanded and launched their first theatrical production with the musical Little Shop of Horrors.
With the advent of that first musical, a standard was set for the program to offer students an experience of professional theatre. Using a full professional 14 piece orchestra, professional costumes and sets, students are taught the fundamentals of performance and theatrical design. Historically, the program has provided audiences with a fall classic such as Macbeth, The Odyssey, and Antigone, along with an annual spring musical. In addition, the program has grown from being an afterschool activity to an integrated program as part of the school’s expanded learning time initiative. Students now have opportunities to take classes in technical theatre, theatrical costuming, and acting workshops. The program has been featured in articles by The Herald News, The Fall River Spirit, The Boston Globe Sunday Magazine, The New York Times, and the book, Time to Learn.
As of September of 2009, the theatre program moved into the new Matthew Kuss School building on Globe Mills Avenue. The school houses a 542 seat state-of-the-art theatre allowing the group to take on greater challenges for performance excellence.
PAST SHOWS
'SUPERHERO SANITARIUM' SPRING 2012, STUDENT DIRECTED BY HANNAH TORRES AND JOCELYN MURRAY
'SCHEHERAZADE' METG SILVER MEDAL WINNING PRODUCTION FESTIVAL 2012
OLIVER, Winter 2012
ANNIE. FALL 2010
TEEN ANGEL, SPRING 2011 STUDENT DIRECTED BY XAVIELYS PEREZ AND MASON THIBAULT
THE CRANE WIFE 2011 METG GOLD MEDAL WINNING PRODUCTION
JANE EYRE; LIFE AT LOWOOD, 2010 METG GOLD MEDAL WINNING PRODUCTION
EAST OF THE SUN; WEST OF THE MOON: Spring 2010
PETER PAN: Fall 2009
THE WIZ: Spring 2009
ANTIGONE: Fall 2008
BYE BYE BIRDIE: Spring 2008
THE ODYSSEY: Fall 2007
YOU"RE A GOOD MAN CHARLIE BROWN: Spring 2007
MACBETH: Fall 2006
LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS: Spring 2006
