BEACHWOOD, Ohio — Here is a look at Beachwood Schools activities, as presented by the district:
Beachwood Bison Theatre to present “The Hunchback of Notre Dame”
Beachwood’s Bison Theatre program is ringing the bell to let everyone know that it will present as its fall musical production “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” in November.
The production is based on Victor Hugo’s classic 1831 novel and features songs from the popular 1996 Disney musical film.
The Bison Theatre production will be onstage Nov. 15-17 at the Beachwood High School Auditorium, 25100 Fairmount Blvd.
The story is set in 15th-century Paris and tells the story of Quasimodo, the kind-hearted bell ringer of Notre Dame Cathedral, who dreams of escaping his lonely life. When he ventures out during the Festival of Fools, he meets the beautiful and free-spirited Esmeralda.
Their meeting leads to a dramatic struggle between good and evil as they fight for justice against the tyranny of Judge Frollo.
Beachwood’s production of “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” is rated PG by Music Theatre International. It is recommended for ages 12 and up due to its mature themes.
Directed by Taylor Mortensen and Johnathan Luster and produced by Topher Helm, the musical showcases the talents of 21 high school and middle school students.
The principal cast includes seniors Rachel Kantarovich, Michael Karas, and DeShaun Williams, as well as junior Vega Craig, sophomore Itamar Gabay, and freshmen JD Henz and Eli Ward.
Performances are scheduled for 7 p.m. Nov. 15 and 16, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 17.
Tickets are available at beachwoodschools.org/tickets.
Uniting against hate
A Beachwood Schools release notes that one of the biggest barriers to combating hate is the silence around reporting it.
Beachwood City Schools, in partnership with the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, presented to parents and community members on Oct. 10 at Beachwood High School the “United Against Hate” program.
The program is part of a nationwide effort launched in 2022 by U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. The program’s goal is to teach communities to recognize, report, and prevent acts of hate.
“You don’t have to wait for the right time or for adulthood to make an impact,” said eleventh-grade student Alexandra Myers, in the release. “Change starts now.”
Attendees learned strategies for building safer communities from a distinguished panel of local, state, and federal officials.
Speakers included Sean Fisher from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Community Relations Service; Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Riedl; Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office Criminal Division Chief Gregory Mussman; FBI Supervisory Special Agent Mike Massie; Beachwood Schools’ Legal Counsel Daniel McIntyre; and Beachwood Police Chief Dan Grispino. U.S. Representative Shontel Brown,D-11, was also in attendance.
“Hate crimes have no place in our community and certainly no place in our school systems,” said Grispino, while urging the community to report any suspicious activities and comments. “As a community, we have to come together and be the biggest deterrent and report those incidents.”
United Against Hate built upon the success of a student-led program in September, where 50 high school students participated in the DOJ’s S.P.I.R.I.T. program. S.P.I.R.I.T. stands for Student Problem Identification and Resolution of Issues Together.
During the full-day workshop, students identified their top challenges and developed solutions focused on three main areas: increasing civil discourse skills, creating safe spaces, and enhancing school spirit.
They also elected peers to the newly formed S.P.I.R.I.T. Council, which will lead these efforts under the guidance of Beachwood High School Assistant Principal Aubrei Erkins.
In a speech at the United Against Hate event, eleventh grader Arnav Bokil likened the challenge of confronting hate to his childhood fear of the dark.
“I used to be afraid of looking under my bed,” he said. “That is exactly what we do with hate. We acknowledge its presence, but never actually challenge it.”
The S.P.I.R.I.T. program, he said, enabled students to “look under that bed, to open that closet door, and confront hate.”
Arnav concluded by urging parents and community members for support, stating, “We can’t do this alone. We need your help.”
Presenters at the United Against Hate program at Beachwood High SchoolOct.10 were, from left: Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office Criminal Division Chief Gregory Mussman; U.S. Attorney Daniel Riedl; Beachwood Schools’ Legal Counsel Daniel McIntyre; from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Community Relations Service Sean Fisher; Beachwood Police Chief Dan Grispino; and FBI Supervisory Special Agent Mike MassieBeachwood City Schools
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