Students at Hewlett High School stepped outside their comfort zones and into new creative partnerships during the school’s annual Day of Theatre, an immersive experience designed to unite performers across grade levels and classes.
Throughout the day, theater students collaborated in mixed-grade groups to create and perform original vignettes, all within a single school day on Jan. 30. The fast-paced exercise emphasized creativity, teamwork and leadership, while encouraging students to connect with peers they might not otherwise work with.
“Working with students from different classes and grades changed my experience because I was able to meet and speak to people that I would have never spoken to,” junior Emily Liechtung said. “It was very fun to create something with people I wouldn’t normally create things with.”
The event, led by theater teacher Dawn DeMaio, now in her 25th year at the school teaching theatre arts, challenged students to quickly develop ideas, assign roles and bring their performances to life. Many said the experience mirrored real-world theatre environments, where collaboration and adaptability is key.
Sophomore Joseph Figueroa noted that combining students with different levels of experience enhanced the creative process. “Different classes learned different things and we were able to use our ideas together really well,” he said. “The juniors and seniors were great leaders to us.”
For upperclassmen, the day offered an opportunity to step into mentorship roles. Senior Liliana Ortiz said working with younger students allowed her to both lead and grow as an artist.
“I got to learn more about different acting styles,” Ortiz said. “I was happy to be not only an example of an actor but also one of a director.”
Freshmen and underclassmen also found value in the collaboration. “Working with older students allowed me to learn the things they know about theater and enhance the performance,” freshman Jordan Yodowitz said.
Students said the mix of personalities and perspectives helped shape stronger performances. Junior Logan Giron noted that each group brought a unique dynamic, while senior Daniel Becker described the experience as “a breath of fresh air” working with new people.
In addition to performance, students took on responsibilities such as directing, staging and organizing their groups. Senior Michael Goldstein said clear roles helped his group succeed.
“Everyone brought their own acting strengths to the table,” he said. “I made sure to watch for blocking and staging so it was clear for the audience.”
By the end of the day, each group presented its finished piece, marking a culmination of hours of collaboration and creativity.
“I was beyond proud of my group’s performance,” senior Claudia Lee said in a message to DeMaio. “I hope I’ll never forget how good I felt after we performed.”
The Day of Theatre achieved its goal of fostering a stronger creative community, building connections across grade levels and giving students a meaningful, hands-on theatrical experience.
