Girls' drama for life
When Shakespeare wrote “all the world’s a stage,” he must not have been thinking of frum actresses. Because until very recently, there have been few local outlets for religious girls to express themselves, which is why West Hempstead resident Rina Hirsch founded the Drama for Life! theater program for girls on Long Island.
Since its inception in 2004, the program has given hundreds of girls the ability to show off their dramatic sides in a fun and Torah observant environment.
“I realized that there was a need in our community to give girls the opportunity to express themselves in the arts, as we ladies are very limited in that respect,” Hirsch said. “I feel I’ve been able to fill a void in our community.”
What began as a small program for elementary school girls quickly expanded over the past seven years to include a track for older girls. This year, for the first time, Drama for Life! was open to collegiates as well.
On May 22, the younger girls of Drama for Life! performed “Beauty and the Beast” at Lawrence High School. The show was followed by a women’s only production of “Ella Enchanted” by the high school and college-aged D4L Players. The proceeds from both shows benefited Madraigos, a nonprofit organization in the Five Towns.
Na’ama Rosenberg, associate director and stage manager of Drama for Life! directed and wrote the script for “Ella Enchanted.” She said that drama is a great outlet and has helped many shy girls to come out of their shells.
“[Drama creates a] safe environment to deal with social conflict,” Rosenberg said. “There’s no fear of rejection, since they’re playing a role.”
There are many other benefits to drama. Yocheved Kolchin, the assistant director and choreographer of “Beauty and the Beast,” said that drama teaches girls commitment, teamwork, and instills confidence.
“It really builds self-confidence, presenting in front of people,” Kolchin said. “Girls who’ve returned to the program move more confidently. The way they present themselves [carries over] into their everyday life.”
Kolchin was Rina Hirsch’s very first drama student, and is currently majoring in drama and English at Queens College. She says she has learned many positive lessons from her own experiences with drama.
