SCH Student Debuts Play at Philly Fringe Festival

SCH student Callan Carr-Lemke and the Shadow Company, a teen theater group, transformed an empty page and stage into a post-apocalyptic world in When Tides Collide at the Philadelphia Fringe Festival on September 12 and 13. 

Carr-Lemke was part of the troupe that wrote and performed the original play through Yes! And…Collaborative Arts. The play explored groupthink, collective memory, environmental collapse, and the ethics of survival. 

Carr-Lemke said the most rewarding part was creating an opportunity like this for himself and his castmates. “It's really cool to see the idea that we worked on and workshopped for several months totally brought to life with full lights, sound, digital backdrops, and props. There were many different stories we considered and stages in the development, but what we landed on was a great story to tell,” he said.

Drawing on his years with Middle School Spotlights and Upper School Players, Carr-Lemke set out with a clear goal: put a compelling and original story out into the world.

“Being in shows in middle and high school has been a great way to learn new skills and work on my acting. I've also really liked the opportunity to be in those plays and musicals to help tell those stories,” he said.

The production gained broader recognition when WHYY featured the ensemble's creative process. Check out the coverage here.