Tag: Arts & Culture

Theatre Department previews two shows focused on teen experiences

by Natalie Creagh and Aurora Grisham

For years, the JHS Theatre Department has presented two shows per year.  Each show is usually an opposing genre, but this season, they are similar. They’re both set in a high school setting around students and their experiences.  

This season’s shows are Mean Girls, the Musical, a musical where a girl moves from Africa and attends a public high school and befriends the popular girls. Throughout the show, the main character, Cady, goes from an awkward new kid to hanging out with the most popular and powerful girls in school. 

Our Play is about a group of high school kids from different backgrounds putting on Thornton Wilder’s Our Town, a new show, published in 2025 by Jessica Moss.

Theatre director Derrick Ledbetter. Photo by Ashton Walcott.

“I think that they are the right fit for our students,” said theatre director Derrick Ledbetter. “I think it’s shows they can relate to.” 

Ledbetter said he chose these two shows with similar themes for a reason – the appeal they have for young audiences.

“I think it goes back to how the shows are in closer experiences to our students,” he stated.

Beyond the theme-related performances, Ledbetter said he has some more ambitions for this season, saying, “I hope we have a lot of people come out. I hope we get a lot of new experiences for people.”

Ledbetter also said these audiences will appreciate the performances of these two shows, stating, “I think it has to do with choosing authenticity over popularity.”

Theatre students are already preparing for the performances this season.

Junior Kahlani Hunt said she definitely has a favorite show this season.

“I’m most excited for Mean Girls. I’m hoping to do tech this year.”

Sophomore Lucas Dimmitt agreed, saying,  “I’m hoping to get a bigger role. I’m most excited for Mean Girls.”

Senior Jalen Nifong said, “I want to accomplish something I’m proud of. I’m intrigued to see Our Play because it’s a lesser known show.” 

The message for the Theatre Department is for teens to be their authentic selves and not to conform to social norms. Ledbetter said he selected these plays not only for entertainment, but also to send an important message to the audience.

Seniors Jalen Nifong and Wyatt Clements act during Derrick Ledbetter’s fourth-period black box theatre class. Photo by Ashton Walcott.
by jhshyphen

Alex Trebek, Legendary Host of “Jeopardy!” Has Died From Cancer Complications

This TV show host holds the Guinness World Record for “most game show episodes hosted by the same presenter.” Who is Alex Trebek (1940 – 2020)?

Trebek, an international icon and entertainer, was the host of “Jeopardy!” from 1984 till the end of 2020. Trebek passed away in his home on the morning of Nov. 8, 2020 at the age of 80. He had been battling pancreatic cancer for over a year, first announcing it to the public in March of 2019. While his death was a surprise to most, it had been expected to come soon. To celebrate his life, here are some of his many achievements throughout his life.

On July 22, 1940, he was born to his French Canadian Mother Lucille Lagacé and Ukranian Immigrant George Edward Trebek. His heritage as a French Canadian, allowed him to be fluent in both French and English. Before Jeopardy! Trebek hosted other TV programs, such as “Music Hop” (1963-64) and “Reach for the Top” (1966-73). In 1973, he and fellow Canadian Alan Thicke travelled to the United States to host the NBC game show “The Wizard of Odds” (1973-74). This led to Trebek hosting more shows in America, such as CBS’s “Double Dare” (1976-77), “The $128,000 Question” (1977-78) and NBC’s “The New High Rollers” (1979-80). In 1984, Trebek assumed his most memorable role as the host of the trivia show “Jeopardy!” a show that tested the average person’s intelligence for a large sum of money. 

In his lifetime, he won six Daytime Emmy Awards, the Gold Medal in 2010, the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Daytime Emmys in 2011, the Alexander Graham Bell Medal from the National Geographic Society in 2013 and the Burpee Medal in 2015 from the Royal Canadian Geographical Society.

Trebek was an important part of many peoples’ lives, including students and staff here at Jeff High. “It was tragic. I was devastated. I grew up watching that show,”  says Patrick Wentworth, an AP English and English 11 teacher at Jeff. 

Trebek’s final recording day was Oct. 29, and the final new episode featuring him will air on Dec. 25, 2020. He hosted more than 8,200 episodes of “Jeopardy!”, and he finished his final episodes just two weeks after having cancer-related surgery. Trebek will always be remembered for the colorful humor, quick wit, and love of knowledge he brought to the television night after night.

Written by Chloey Trinkle

by chloeytrinkle