In 2003, St. Rita School caught the acting bug and produced its first school play even though the school’s facilities lacked the space. Renting the auditorium at T.C. Williams High School (Minnie Howard Campus), St. Rita students performed “The Fabulous Fable Factory,” a modern-day interpretation of Aesop’s Fables, with minimal costumes and set design.

Since then, the theater program has moved on to full-scale productions staged in Bishop Ireton High School’s auditorium in Alexandria. This spring, St. Rita students will perform “Annie, Jr.,” a full-scale musical. The performance is being presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI).

St. Rita’s theatrical program was initiated with the assistance of Gail Mardirosian, chair of the performing arts department at American University in Washington. Mardirosian, also a parent of a student who graduated in 2003, agreed to direct the school’s first play pro-bono.

Nearly a quarter of the student body has been involved in each year’s play, either as onstage performers or as crew members. Parents have coordinated costumes, props, concessions, transportation and more, while teachers have served as directors.

“In the beginning, it was a difficult undertaking finding a venue that would not only be able to accommodate our performance but would also be available for a reasonable fee,” said Mary Manilla-Smith, a parent volunteer who co-directed the 2008 production of “Keeper of the Tales.” “We were on a very tight budget.”

A number of St. Rita’s students who participated in the various school performances have continued their interest in theater in high school. For many of them, their first introduction to Ireton was performing on the school’s stage.

Ireton's renowned drama program, coupled with its close proximity, has eased the transition from the elementary stage to the high school stage for many St. Rita graduates. Nearly half of last year’s graduating class decided to attend Ireton.

If you go

“Annie, Jr.”

Garwood Whaley Auditorium

Bishop Ireton High School

201 Cambridge Rd.

Alexandria

May 23, 4 p.m.

May 24, 3 p.m.

For more information contact St. Rita School at 703/548-1888.