Ms. Donnelly is leading this year’s drama production, “Fast Food,” at Iselin Middle School. The school does this annually, and it takes loads of work, dedication, and confidence to succeed.
The annual school drama production is underway, under the direction of Theater Arts Teacher Ms. Donnelly. Students are working hard both onstage and behind the scenes to bring the story to life. From set design and costumes to lighting, sound, and acting, every part of the play showcases the talent, dedication, and teamwork of our school community.
This is Ms. Donnelly’s first year as Iselin Middle School’s Theater Arts Teacher, having graduated from Montclair State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Theatre Education in May of 2025.
Growing up, she has always loved her Theater teachers and “anticipated that class every day,” inspiring her to become one herself.
“It was the class that I just had the most fun in, and I loved how Theater made me feel and how it made others feel as well,” Ms. Donnelly said.
The Theater teachers are the ones choosing the plays at IMS, and this year, she has chosen “Fast Food,” by Tracy Wells. What she chose was a vignette-style play, which has more “easier seen” characters like Captain Cluck, “a funny individual playing as a mascot in a chicken suit” for the company Kentucky Flippin’ Chicken.
Students are required to audition for their desired role, but it’s not just about their Theater skills.
She said, “When I’m auditioning students, I’m looking for very hard-working people. I want people that are going to do the work.”
This is one of the bigger plays, as she tried to “highlight the most amount of students I could.” There are about 17 kids in the play, plus Stage Crew, involving around 30 kids.
Ms. Donnelly highly encourages kids in the following year to audition and participate in Drama Club, as she states that’s “where she found her voice during middle school” and hopes that might be the case for students here.
“The ability to just get up on that stage and perform shows confidence, shows that you’re able to work with others, that you are just like willing.”
Being a traditionally funny play, the audience can expect a lot on the day of the show. There is a single set, so the curtains won’t come in between scenes. Most of the set stays in place, other than the actors. People can expect to laugh. It is going to be “hysterical” and she thinks it is going to be fun to see the kids on stage.
