Michael Sokolove

For a former theatre kid like me, this is a book that evokes memories of high school shows past. For a former Philadelphian, it evokes even more memories: a time when Levittown, Pa in far-off Bucks Country was a middle class place of dreams for those of us living in the row houses of Philadelphia-proper. However, as author Michael Sokolove tells the story, Levittown has fallen on hard times. It is no longer the segregated dreamland of the 1950s (although it is still almost exclusively show more white), and Truman High School is the bottom of the heap if you happen to go to school in Bristol Township. The one exception is the school's theatre program run by gifted theatre teacher, Lou Volpe. Given the most primitive of facilities and an uninspired community, Volpe manages to unearth talented children and turn them from unpolished actors into stage gems. Not only does he pull these performances from everyone from Special Ed kids to athletes on sabbatical, but he does shows that are cutting edge both in message, tone, and currency. In fact, Truman high has become the greenhouse for a NY group that markets shows to schools around the world. Basically, the philosophy is if Lou Volpe can make it work, other schools can do it as well. Volpe has the destinction of having taken five separate productions to the Thespians in Nebraska (a truly awesome accomplishment to those who know). This is both a Valentine to that rarity, a teacher who really cares about his students -- past and present -- and "brings it" when it comes to teaching. It is also a documentary of the decline of suburban communities, once the haven of the upwardly mobile working class, now decaying communities holding on by the proverbial thread. Sokolove captures both the atmosphere of the the town and the distinct personalities of Lou Volpe, his co-workers and incredibly dedicated student casts in an outstanding lovesong to musical theatre. show less

It's hard to imagine that there will ever be a better trip through high school than this, as seen through the eyes of a former student of "Volp", a remarkable drama teacher in a rundown Pennsylvania town. Harry S. Truman High is where Broadway plays go to be auditioned for high school suitability, in the amazing hands of a life-changing theatrical producer masquerading as a teacher. The author takes us through a timely play about sexual abuse and the musical Spring Awakening, with a troupe show more of students who might be ordinary in any other context. There are athletes, stoners, nerds - all are encouraged and all revel in the magic synergy of the temporary family that grows from such an experience. The reader's only regret is that there is not a Volp at every school in the world. The author, born and raised in Levittown, PA, is so insightful about his town and how he rose from it and escaped, and he ruefully contrasts his family's life in upper class Bethesda, MD, with those who stayed. Sociology + Theatre = an unforgettable book. show less

I don’t use similes very often, but I can’t help comparing DRAMA HIGH to an onion. There are some tears, but that’s not the reason. Like an onion, it has many layers, all combining to produce the singular product.
The top layer is the story of Harry S Truman High School in Levittown, Pennsylvania, particularly the theater department, possibly the best in the country. While many schools had drama clubs that did not attract many students, especially not the popular ones, such as the show more athletes, Truman’s Drama Club drew students from all groups–the academics, the athletes, and the artists. Almost half the students at Truman took at least one of the three theater classes before graduating.
Most high school productions are those that have been playing for decades. At Truman, the program goes for the plays that have relevance for today’s society even if they may appear to be less safe and more edgy. It provides the students with a degree of sophistication above that of their contemporaries from most other high schools. Sir Cameron Mackintosh has brought Broadway dignitaries to see its shows and had it pilot Broadway blockbusters adapted for high school actors. The Drama Club did not have much financial backing, but presented five Main Show performances at the International Thespian Festival (the shows were Telemachus Clay, Equus, Pageant, The Rimers of Eldritch, and Good Boys and True). It was the first high school to produce Rent, Les Miserables, and Spring Awakening, all for Music Theater International. Obviously, it is not a typical high school Drama Club.
The next layer is Lou Volpe, the teacher. Sokolove wrote “Everyone in life needs to have had at least one brilliant, inspiring teacher.” For the students involved in the theater program at Truman, Volpe is that teacher. With the support of the administration, he is able to help the students become extremely talented actors even though most had never been able to afford acting, voice, or dancing lessons. The book tells both his professional and personal stories. As I write this, I am aware that he has not read the book. Michael Sokolove, a Truman graduate, followed him for two years to get the background for DRAMA HIGH. He notes that Volpe did not want to see the book until the hard cover edition came out. My copy is an uncorrected proof.
Sokolove brings the entire process necessary to produce a high school play to light as he describes the numerous steps from choosing a play, casting, rehearsing, setting it up, and actually putting it on.
The third layer is psychological. We learn the stories of the students, how they react to life and to the plays, and how Volpe knows when to step in and when to let the students find their own paths, discovering their skills and aspects of themselves they hadn’t recognized or appreciated previously. As one student, Courtney Meyer, observed, “If you’re in the theater program, you’re changed. You accept. You are exposed to people and ideas that, if you were a close-minded or bigoted person, you can’t be anymore. You change without knowing it or even thinking about it necessarily.”
From a sociological perspective, Levittown was hit hard by changing economic times. Chicago Steppenwolf Theater’s artistic director Martha Lavey stated “To be born into privilege is to be given the tools to replicate that privilege” regardless of the children’s intelligence or ability. Levittown was originally built as a planned community built in 1952. On the whole, the residents were middle class with some professionals mixed in. As time went on, local steel mill closed, the neighborhood deteriorated, and the income level dropped. At Truman, many families rely on food stamps, Head Start, and free lunch program. The students no longer looked toward a future of going to college and getting good jobs. Life became stagnant. The students did not perform well on standardized tests compared with those in other schools.
The education layer is also very important. Visitors to Truman were greeted with trophy cases for athletics teams as well as lists of colleges graduates attend and the amounts of the scholarships they receive. Today almost everything is measured by its economic value. Nobel Prize winning Economist Joseph Stiglitz said, “All markets are shaped by laws and regulations, and unfortunately, are laws and regulations are shaped in order to create more inequality and less opportunity.” The book discusses the importance of the arts in the lives of students and how current philosophy has moved to teaching for the test rather than encouraging creativity. He notes that the poorest schools are the ones hit hardest by this. Nearly thirty percent of California public schools have no arts programs. While math and science do get priority, English is also an important subject in that it is used as a measurement. Sadly, the Common Core set of standards used in forty-six states and the District of Columbia, require fourth grade students to devote half their reading to non-fiction. By the senior year, it has jumped to seventy percent. Non-fiction includes maps, train schedules, and recipes, subjects which will not help students hear about other ideas and experiences. The effects and benefits of arts programs cannot be measured by standardized tests.
In some ways, DRAMA HIGH is similar to the popular television show, “Glee,” except the students do not insert their personal lives into the program nor are they the victims of bullies. The star in one play might be in the ensemble or working stage crew in the next. Newcomers could get major roles. They don’t have the classy costumes and were focused on one play the entire semester. There was a Sue Sylvester-type character at one time who told a star wrestler that he had to chose between the team and the play. Even when Volpe arranged rehearsals so the student could do both, the coach refused to budge.
This is the first book review for which I sent the draft to people because I was so sure they would love the book. I’ll be sending it to all my theater friends.
I received this book from LibraryThing Early Reviewers. show less

I could not put this book down! Sokolove tells the story of Truman High's drama department. The school is in Levittown, PA, an area not known as a cultural mecca, yet Lou Volpe has managed to create a high-profile drama program that draws students of all types who love him and learn to love acting. For 40 years, Volpe produced edgy plays and musicals at Truman, drawing praise from the likes of Cameron Mackintosh, creator of Les Mis on Broadway.

Sokolove was a student of Volpe's so he provides show more an insight that compares and contrasts Volpe, the program, and Levittown itself over 30 years. The book is a fascinating look at what was once a blue collar town, its mores and values, and how it all affects the young students. show less