One of Ashley Hall’s most special and long-standing traditions celebrates its 100th anniversary this December. First presented in 1924 under the direction of school founder Mary Vardrine McBee, the Christmas Play is a beautiful and ancient retelling of the Nativity Cycle of the medieval Mystery Plays of Chester, England. Ashley Hall students of all ages — nearly 120 in total—are represented in this pageant, portraying the roles of young angels, dancing jesters, shepherds, the Holy Family, and even the Magi, complete with beards. The renowned Ashley Hall Red Choir provides musical interludes throughout the performance. The production has been performed in locations across the city, including the Gaillard Auditorium in the 1970s. This year, it will be held on Friday, December 13, at 6:30 p.m. in the historic St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church located at 405 King Street.
“The fact that alumnae reconnect so well with their Ashley Hall experience through watching the play makes it so special,” said Head of School Dr. Anne T. Weston ’73, who treasures many fond memories of watching and performing in the play as a student. “I hope this tradition continues for another hundred years and students cherish their Christmas Play memories as much as I do.”
With Ashley Hall’s foundation steeped in a classical curriculum, it is evident that a production based on medieval English literature would become a beloved school tradition. Mystery Plays were a type of drama performed in England from the 1370s until the latter half of the 16th century.
Performance Details:
The Ashley Hall Christmas Play
Friday, December 13 at 6:30 p.m.
St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church | 405 King Street
Parking:
Marion Square Garage | 399 King Street
Camden Garage | 35 John Street
Screenagers, the Next Chapter:
Uncovering Skills for Stress Resilience
October 21 | 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. | Davies Auditorium
Open to all Ashley Hall families, both parents and students, and the Charleston community. Especially relevant for students in grades 7 and above and their parents. Parking is available in the Smith Street lot, which is accessed via Warren Street. Please enter campus through the Smith Street gate.
Free of charge, but reservations are requested.
RSVP Here
October 24 | 8:15 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. | Burges Auditorium
Open to Ashley Hall parents only. Especially relevant for parents of students in grades 7 and above. Due to limit campus parking during the school day, parking is available at J. Henry Stuhr Downtown Chapel, 232 Calhoun Street.
Free of charge, but reservations are requested.
RSVP Here
Watch Screenagers Video Trailer
From the director of Screenagers: Growing Up in the Digital Age comes Screenagers, The Next Chapter: Uncovering Skills for Stress Resilience, a film about helping young people thrive in our screen and stress-filled world.
Filmmaker and physician Delaney Ruston uses a personal lens and professional eye to help parents flip the script on stress, anxiety, and depression. We follow Ruston as she suddenly finds herself at a loss on how to help her own teens as they struggle with their emotional wellbeing. Ruston sets out to uncover how we understand these challenges in our current screen-filled society.She also explores how we as parents and schools empower teens with skills to overcome mental health challenges and build emotional agility, communication savvy, and stress resilience.
The film is intended for parents and students starting from age 10 and up. As with Screenagers, this new documentary is all about creating events in which people come together, watch the film, discuss the takeaways, and make plans for moving forward to further its impact.
Some of the featured experts in the film include the following:
- Daniel Pine, M.D., chief psychiatrist, National Institute of Mental Health
- Dan Siegel, M.D., director of the Mindful Awareness Research Center at UCLA
- Drs. John and Julie Gottman, founders of the Gottman Institute
- Laura Kastner, Ph.D., psychologist, and author of Wise-Minded Parenting
- Ned Johnson, co-author of The Self-Driven Child
- Adriana Galvan, Ph.D., Chair in Behavioral Neuroscience UCLA
The ability of dance to stir emotions and build connections was evident during this year’s first performance of The Caterpillar Thriller, an original story-in-dance featuring dancers from second through sixth grades. Written and staged by Lower School faculty member Stephanie Christensen, The Caterpillar Thriller presents a powerful message that “being odd’s not bad” and if we remain true to who we are, we will ultimately find others who are just like us.
Students, parents, faculty, and staff were enchanted by the heart-warming story of a little caterpillar’s journey to grow into her true self and discover her own place within the world. Gorgeous costumes and lively music created the perfect atmosphere for a captivating display of dance. An Ashley Hall favorite, The Caterpillar Thriller has been performed on campus on two previous occasions to capacity audiences. You do not want to miss this year’s memorable performance! Future showtimes are May 17 at 7:00pm and May 19 at 3:00pm in Davies Auditorium. Each performance is free, with RSVPs requested. Online RSVPs are now closed, so please arrive early to the performances to ensure your spot. To learn more about the Lower School, click on the button below.
The Lower School at Ashley Hall
Attendees of this year’s String Fling at the Cathedral Church of St. Luke and St. Paul weren’t prepared for the heartwarming and emotional program that unfolded. In addition to performances by the Kindergarten and Pre-First Strings as well as the Lower School Orchestra and Fifth through Eighth Grade Orchestra, Upper School students played a superb rendition of Bohemian Rhapsody and selections from the Lion King. Interspersed between the music selections, sixth graders served as emcees.
Particularly inspiring in their performance was the Senior String Quartet, and senior Loulou Byars gave a moving presentation to Head of School Jill Muti. As Byars said, “Fourteen years ago Mrs. Muti arrived at Ashley Hall and quickly became an important part of our family. The following year, the Class of 2018 entered kindergarten, and Mrs. Muti implemented the new strings program, a program that has had an immense impact upon my own life and the lives of countless others in the Ashley Hall community.”
Afterward, there wasn’t a dry eye in the church as Performing Arts Chair Liz Dinwiddie and the Upper School Chamber Ensemble played for the four graduating seniors of the Senior String Quartet. These girls have been a part of something special that Mrs. Muti started fourteen years ago and represent the limitless possibilities for everyone at Ashley Hall. PQV!
With the weather getting warmer, nothing sounds better than a nice, cool swim, but Ashley Hall wants students to always keep safety at the forefront. This week, faculty members Maggie Laney and Missee Fox have been emphasizing safety tips to remember with Pre-Kindergarten through sixth grade students. A year-round effort, water safety instruction begins in the fall and incorporates activities to encourage confidence in the water and build life-saving skills, including treading water for 5 minutes, swimming in clothes, and survival floating. Today, Lower School faculty member Kendall Lee’s fourth grade class practiced retrieving distressed swimmers with rescue tubes. Keep up the great work girls!
THE CATERPILLAR THRILLER
written and directed by faculty member, Stephanie Christensen
featuring dancers from 2nd through 6th grades
The Caterpillar Thriller reminds us that “being odd’s not bad”—that one creature’s being different from others doesn’t justify its being abused and treated as an outcast. Further, the story advises that hard as it is sometimes to do so, if we remain true to who we are, we will ultimately find others who are like us.
An Ashley Hall favorite, The Caterpillar Thriller has been performed on campus on two previous occasions to capacity audiences. They were as astounded and moved by the dancers’ wonderful performances as they were by the heart-warming, original story-in-dance itself. Don’t miss it!