This year marks an exciting new chapter for the Saint Xavier Theatre Department. With it being Mrs. Stewart’s first year as director, she is being fresh ideas while also keeping the tradition. She is guiding the program and entering a new era under a new name, The Lumen Theatre Company (LTC).
“The St. X Theatre Department has always been rooted in tradition, but with the passage of time, traditions naturally evolve,” Mrs. Stewart said. “My first year is all about turning the page to a new chapter within the same book.”
The new name “Lumen” draws from our school seal, which is “Numen Lumen” meaning “God is our Light.” This new name reflects the department both on and off the stage.
“The word Lumen resonates with us because we literally work under stage lights,” Mrs. Stewart said. “But more importantly, it’s our job to bring light and joy to our audiences, our community, and each other.”
One of Mrs. Stewart’s biggest initiatives is the Tiger Youth Theater (TYT). It is a children’s program for students in grade 1-8. It gives young performers chances to train in acting, dancing, and singing with current St. X theater students.
“As a parent, I’ve seen how impactful St. X’s youth programs can be.” Mrs. Stewart said. “We knew we needed to create something that offered theatre opportunities to our community’s students, gave our boys a chance to serve, and provided mentorship experiences for our LTC members.”
Beyond the stage, LTC is focusing on building strong relationships. From Murder Mystery nights to attending other catholic school’s plays, team bonding has been a major focus. Seniors involved enjoy seeing new additions to the theatre department.
“The big activities that have been added is more things apart from rehearsal and shows,” Senior Max Bockelman said. “These include a murder mystery thing, a cast party through the school, and it is much more efficient then it used to be during rehearsals.”
As LTC grows and changes, honoring the departments past is still a huge part of it. The spring musical will feature a special alumni night on March 20th, and the school has officially named the stage after longtime director Ms. Rebecca Reisert.
With Mrs. Stewart’s leadership, the Lumen Theatre Company is not just stepping into the spotlight, but shining a new light for future people to follow as well.
