Student Drama Brings the Constitutional Convention to Life
To celebrate Constitution Day, the Stover Scholars at Waynesburg University will present “Shh! We’re Writing the Constitution: A Reader’s Theater Production,” Monday, Sept. 19 at noon. The performance will be held in the Goodwin Performing Arts Center. Admission is free and the public is cordially invited to attend.
Based on Jean Fritz’s book “Shh! We’re Writing the Constitution,” the student production brings to life the Constitutional Convention’s historical debates, and the story of 55 delegates from 13 states who huddled in secrecy for four months in the Philadelphia State House to draw up the plan of government that we know today as the Constitution.
Waynesburg University’s Stover Scholars are a group of developing leaders who embrace the constitutional principles that guided the Founding Fathers in an effort to positively impact the direction of American politics and law. The Stover Scholars felt compelled to offer the production in an attempt to enhance appreciation for the U.S. Constitution, while shining light upon the decisions and compromises made by the Founding Fathers. The play portrays the principles and values shared by the framers, as well as their disagreements.
According to Dr. Lawrence M. Stratton, director of the Stover Center for Constitutional Studies and Moral Leadership, “Many of today’s headlines have their roots in decisions and compromises made by the Founding Fathers when they drafted the original U.S. Constitution, especially the Constitution’s amazing system of checks and balances in which power checks power.”
“The Stover Scholars hope to inspire their fellow citizens to do their part to ‘form a more perfect Union’ today,” Stratton said.
Professor Edward L. Powers, associate professor of theatre at Waynesburg University, will direct the play.
The cast list includes:
- Doorman/Rhode Island Delegate/Newspaper Reporter/French Merchant: Courtney Parker, a senior sociology (pre-law) major from Columbus, Ga. (South View High School)
- James Madison: Zander Shashura, a sophomore business management major from Fredericktown (Bethlehem-Center High School)
- George Washington: Chase Ayers, a freshman sociology (pre-law) major from Charleroi (Charleroi High School)
- Citizen #1/Citizen #2/James Monroe: Dan Czajkowski, a sophomore criminal justice major from Frederick, Md. (Spencerville Adventist Academy)
- Resident of New York/Citizen #3/Citizen #4/John Jay: Jonathan Waldon, a junior sociology (political science) major from Carmel, Ind. (Carmel High School)
- Congressman/Governeur Morris: Patrick Kopas, a sophomore sociology (pre-law) major from Fairchance (Albert Gallatin High School)
- Alexander Hamilton: Ryan Marshall, a junior sociology (pre-law) major from New Salem (Albert Gallatin High School)
- Patrick Henry: Anthony Cooper, a junior sociology major (pre-law) major from Lewisburg (Lewisburg High School)
- Willie Jones/North Carolina Delegate/Luther Martin: Alexander Goodwin, a senior arts administration (music concentration) major from Fairchance (Albert Gallatin High School)
- Edmund Randolph: Jeremy Hinkle, a freshman history major from Washington (Canon-McMillan High School)
- John Dickinson: Gina Robinson, a freshman English/secondary education (literature) major from Lower Burrell (St. Joseph High School)
- Delegate #1/William Patterson: Mollie Pugh, a sophomore history/ secondary education (citizenship) major from Baltimore, Md. (Kenwood High School)
- Pierce Butler: Stephanie Laing, a junior communication (journalism) major from Las Vegas, Nev. (College of Southern Nevada High School)
- Ben Franklin: Colin Phillips, a freshman history major from Bexley, Ohio (Bexley High School)
- Introduction: Daniel Buzzard, a sophomore history/secondary education (citizenship) major from New Bethlehem (Redbank Valley High School)
- Ushers/Lights/Crew: Terrin Crist, a senior business management major from Montoursville (Montoursville High School); Karen Moyer, a junior sociology (pre-law) major from Conneaut Lake (Conneaut Lake High School; Elizabeth Johnson, a junior sociology (pre-law) major from Brownsville (Brownsville High School) ”