City High Reaches Out to Ferguson Thespians

Iowa City - "Following the tumultuous events in Ferguson, Missouri this fall, City High Drama is jumping in to help Ferguson high schools send students to the Missouri Thespian Festival in October to continue to have a voice and an impact in the dramatic arts. City High Drama director Troy Peters communicated with the fine arts coordinator for the Florissant-Ferguson school district recently, describing some of City High’s past productions, such as Mayberry and Medea, which have given minority actors opportunities to get on stage and discuss issues of race. “We’ve never shied away from these important issues, and the schools in Ferguson were wanting some ideas for how to help heal the wounds and promote a hopeful future through the arts,” says Peters. “The African-American students in Ferguson say they feel like the ‘raisins in the rice’ when they attend these state festivals, but they know it is important to continue to have a voice in that arena, and to create something positive out of what has happened in their community.”