While many associate the Nixa High School theater program with productions, there are several different clubs and activities the department has to offer. Some of the most popular are the drama club and improv club. These clubs offer opportunities for students whether they are a part of the NHS theater program or not.
Senior Cameron Donnell is president of the improv club. Donnell has seen theater clubs help students firsthand.
“[Theater clubs are] really there to develop a lot of chemistry and just general theater skill,” Donnell said. “If you do come to acting and if you do come to improv it will give you a better chance to be in the shows and it will let you perform better once you are in the shows.”
Not only is improv club important to help develop students’ acting skills but it is a way for students to break out of their comfort zones in a safe environment.
“I just love to have a community that will always want to learn and improve, and that’s very motivating for me personally,” Donnell said. “For other students, it’s a way of expressing yourself while also growing as a person, which I believe is a fundamental idea [of] improv.”
Senior Heidi Sheffield is co-secretary of the NHS drama club, which has helped her branch out into the high school community.
“[Being a leader is] kind of weird because the entire time I’ve been in Nixa I’ve kind of felt like an outsider so now being voted in as secretary of drama club is insane to me,” Sheffield said. “I used to be this random girl that just kind of showed up and I wasn’t friends with anyone but now I’m friends with half of the department and I’m co-secretary of this huge club, which is crazy.”
This year, the drama club has had the opportunity to go to Nixa Junior High and help mentor the younger students.
“Taking this club can help with your confidence and how you interact with people because I know that a lot of people in theater that are super self conscious and they’re super afraid to be more open,” Sheffield said. “Being in this club helps them be more open and be more into everything.”
Between the two clubs, many theater students are involved in both. Senior Illyria Bogner is a president of drama club and is also heavily involved in improv club.
“Theater is a really good place to be yourself but I think what’s good about the theater clubs is that you may not necessarily be interested in the classes that we have but drama club is a good place to hang out with your friends,” Bogner said.
Throughout all of her high school years, Bogner has been a leader in the theater community.
“[Being a leader is] definitely hard,” Bogner said. “It can be really demanding, it can be just really difficult on mental and physical health but there’s a lot of times where it’s very rewarding.”
Weather students are heavily involved in theater or not, there is still opportunity to make new friends and connect with peers within the club.
“I would encourage everybody to join a club where they can find a community or a family–it doesn’t have to be drama club,” Bogner said.