Bi-Cultural Hebrew Academy recently performed another sold out spring musical, Matilda, Jr. The Academy’s unique theater program turns out successful shows, but is also preparing kids for what’s next after school, in the real world.
The head of the program, Janice Chaikelson explained that one of the reasons she leads the drama department is because “theater gives the students involved incredibly important life skills. Study after study proves that theater involvement improves test scores, and teaches time management, organization, and public speaking, and also increases confidence.”
One student who is set to graduate in June, Yael Hochman, performed in and assistant directed the musical. She has been in 19 performances at the school, in roles both on stage and behind the scenes.
Hochman said being part of the program has “truly shaped me into the person I am today.”
“The most valuable trait that directing taught me was to treat each child as an individual,” Hochman said. “No two kids are alike and when I realized that, I also realized that this was the reason I love participating in this program, because here I am my own person with my own special skills that are utilized to create something bigger than myself. It showed me, and I hope I show to other kids, that not everything has to be all about me for me to be important or valuable.”
Hochman is very sad to see this chapter of her life come to an end saying she “will miss every rehearsal and every little moment that has happened along the way,” but she’s excited to bring the skills she has gained from the program — like self-confidence — into the real world.
Next year, Hochman will attend seminary in Israel before returning to Connecticut to study occupational therapy.
One former student, Allan Weiner, 18, said the drama program made him an “entirely different person.”
“I could finally be confident in what I could do well and just perform my best. And be the best person I could be,” Weiner said. “It gave me appreciation for myself, something I couldn’t really do before being involved in theater.”
Weiner is studying and training to be an HVAC technician at Lincoln Tech of East Windsor. He said the program, as well as Chaikelson, are directly why he has “chosen my career path.” Weiner was both an actor and a crew member, but said it was “working on sets where I developed a love for the trades.”
Another former student, Kaila Rosovsky, 22, is working in Stamford as a photographer, but is still heavily involved in helping the spring musical and has been each year since 2012.
She said the program has helped her “develop confidence, communication skills, and adaptability” that continue to help her as a young adult.
Through being involved in the BCHA Theater program, Kaila noted that “I discovered that my skills are versatile and can be applied in many different ways.”
The show was performed on March 27, 28 and 30 to a packed house for each of the four performances.
