Fine & Performing Arts

CREATIVITY AND PASSION EXUDED ALL YEAR LONG, ILLUSTRATING THE TALENT AND JOY INNATE IN THE GPS FINE & PERFORMING ARTS DEPARTMENT.

AP Art Exit Show

To the delight of the entire GPS community, the AP Art Exit Show returned this year and was held at Clear Story Arts. Eleven students from AP Drawing, AP 2D, and AP 3D showcased their work in a gallery show open to friends, family, and the general public. Participating students included Edie Beagles, Louisa Bohner, Madi Clower, Caroline Farris, Laci Holt, Claire Nicola, Liza Rogers, Maggie Stevens, Ellie Taliaferro, Emma-Kate White, and J.C. Wiedmer. Alongside each student’s work was an artist statement she had written, detailing the guiding concepts behind her creative process.

10-MINUTE PLAYS

A beloved coordinate tradition with McCallie, the 10-Minute

Play Festival made a triumphant return to the GPS Evans Center this winter, with a variety of short works written and performed by GPS and

McCallie students, faculty, and staff.

The GPS Singers performed a breadth of holiday favorites during the annual Winter Concert, which made its return this year following last year’s hiatus due to COVID-19. To conclude the show, audience members were encouraged to stand and join in a collection of singalong carols the ensemble had chosen from their individual family memories to celebrate the sounds of the season.

WINTER WONDERLAND

PRIDE & PREJUDICE

GPS drama teacher Mark Krawczyk directed the fall play, a bold Kate Hamill adaptation of Jane Austen’s beloved Pride & Prejudice. Described as "...not your grandmother’s Austen," this updated take on a classic piece of literature explored the fun, wild ride that is finding your perfect (or imperfect) match. Lizzy Bennet, the outspoken lead, determined to avoid marriage despite societal pressure, met the charming-but-oft-aggravating Mr. Darcy, forcing her to reconsider her thoughts on the matter.

GPS CHORAL CONCERT

The GPS Singers hit the

Frierson stage this spring with a medley of songs from musicals you know and love, such as Willy Wonka and the

Chocolate Factory,

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and The Greatest Showman.

MYTHOLOGICAL ALLUSIONS The Terpsichord Thanksgiving Concert, which featured an in-person audience (but was also live-streamed for those who wished to watch virtually), featured six pieces that illustrated the dancers’ creative interpretations of mythological allegories. Midway through the program, audience members enjoyed the traditional senior duet choreographed and performed by President Graci Felker and Vice President Lily Grace Greenwood. The show culminated with a company-wide dance choreographed by Director Laurel Moore Zahrobsky ’90.

LET IT GO

The GPS | McCallie Middle School Musical made its eagerly awaited return to the stage this year, as members of the sixth, seventh, and eighth grades performed Disney’s Frozen JR. to much fanfare. Seeing in the audience so many mini Annas and Elsas made the shows that much sweeter.

RECOGNITION FOR EXPRESSION

Juanita Garcia ’24 received a Silver Key Designation for her self-portrait painting from The Alliance for Young Artists & Writers. Founded in 1923, the national nonprofit organization established the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards to highlight teens for their talents and creativity across 28 categories that range from printmaking to novel writing, painting, ceramics, and more. This award recognition program is the nation’s longest-running program for creative teens and considered the most prestigious.

LOOKING GLASS

The Terpsichord Spring Concert, titled “Looking Glass,” featured pieces set by Director Laurel Moore Zahrobsky ’90, Assistant Director Amanda Byars ’99, University of Alabama Instructor of Dance Aidan Nettles, professor and Co-Director of the Dance Program at Sonoma State Kristen Daley, as well as members of the Terpsichord company.

MOTION MAKERS

Motion Makers dancers expressed their voices and emotions through movement in their spring performance. Motion Makers is a club for Middle School students interested in expanding their knowledge and opportunities with dance.

MUSIC SHOWCASES

The end of the school year played out in festive fashion, with both the Middle and Upper School music programs delivering entertaining performances during Chapel full of singing and instrumental prowess.

THE HILLS WERE ALIVE WITH THE SOUND OF MUSIC

In April, the GPS | McCallie musical made its spectacular return to Frierson Theatre with three performances of The Sound of Music. Sarah Kalla ’21 played Maria, a role she was originally cast in as a sophomore, when the musical was intended to take place but had to be canceled due to COVID-19. Mark Krawczyk directed, Ellie Fivas ’21 served as assistant director, Mike Lees was the Music Director, and Nicholas Hartline conducted the orchestra.

THE ALIBIS

Performed at McCallie and directed by Holly Morse-

Ellington, with set and lighting design and prop assistance from Taylor Boyd ’11 and creative consultation from

Jason Tinney, the GPS | McCallie spring play The Alibis showcased a student stage and tech crew who took the lead on costumes and set management. The show, which featured seven mini-plays within the play, was a thrilling whodunit murder mystery set in Savannah, Georgia.

READ MORE ABOUT OUR PRODUCTIONS AT GPS.EDU/NEWS.

Seniors Share Stories of Connection During COVID-19 with Fletcher Bright Fellowship

CAROLINE FARRIS AND CLAIRE NICOLA GIVE A VOICE TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS THROUGH MURAL AND INTERVIEW PROJECT

LAST SCHOOL YEAR, Caroline Farris ’22 and Claire Nicola ’22 applied for and received the third Fletcher Bright Fellowship for Artistic and Community Engagement. Named for one of the world’s great traditional old-time and bluegrass fiddlers, the late Fletcher Bright, his eponymous fellowship was founded by his daughter Lizzer Bright Graham ’77. She wanted to honor his legacy through a gift to Girls Preparatory School that would celebrate the arts and foster growth, curiosity, and excitement for students.

The endowed program offers an annual award to a rising GPS senior or seniors who are selected through an extensive application and outside review. Following a year mired by COVID-19, Caroline and Claire knew they wanted to highlight and honor essential workers. Their idea blossomed from there and, as the recipients of the fellowship, they connected with two local organizations to share stories of community and connection.

They explained, “In times of COVID-19, the Chattanooga community has been lacking a sense of unity, which we felt could be mended through an artistic project that spread visual awareness about current social, mental, and societal issues in order to invoke empathy and create connections. Our objective was to reestablish a sense of community within Chattanooga through an artistic rendition of this concept.”

First, the girls partnered with Erlanger Health System, where Claire’s mom works. “I had seen firsthand how much stress she was under, given so much was unknown,” Claire said. “That’s how we decided we wanted to honor frontline workers.” The other community organization the pair partnered with was La Paz. Caroline explained, “We knew we also wanted to highlight a group that wasn’t as represented and didn’t have as big of a voice. We recognized that the pandemic wasn’t just affecting essential workers, so we wanted to illustrate that aspect of it, too.”

Work started at the beginning of second semester junior year, when the girls began contacting the organizations for support. When summer rolled around, prior commitments took precedence—volleyball for Claire and Governor’s School for the Arts for Caroline—before they jumped back in full force in August 2021.

From the beginning, the duo knew they wanted to both show and tell the stories of locals, which is why they chose to interview representatives in addition to commemorating them through murals. The girls arranged interviews with members of both organizations, which were incorporated into the final art pieces through QR codes.

The girls admit the toughest part of the project had been communication, but they enjoyed the process and learned a lot about planning, preparation, and execution of such a large-scale project. “It’s been really nice to have this experience and get to interact with people we wouldn’t have otherwise,” Caroline said.

“Getting to hear their stories—and the depth we went into with these people—it really changed my perspective,” Claire added.