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Theater program to be revived at The Howard School [photos]

From the Times Free Press archives: TO PRESENT 'WIZARD': The junior and senior high school departments at Howard High School present[ed] "The Wizard of Oz" in May 1965 at the school auditorium. Tickets were $1 for advance purchases and $1.25 at the door. Left to right are: William Craig, the lion; Bernard King, The Tin Man; Joan Skillern, who play[ed] Dorothy; Paul Loveless, the Scarecrow, and Westley Thomas, who is the Wizard of Oz. From the Times Free Press archives: TO PRESENT 'WIZARD': The junior and senior high school departments at Howard High School present[ed] "The Wizard of Oz" in May 1965 at the school auditorium. Tickets were $1 for advance purchases and $1.25 at the door. Left to right are: William Craig, the lion; Bernard King, The Tin Man; Joan Skillern, who play[ed] Dorothy; Paul Loveless, the Scarecrow, and Westley Thomas, who is the Wizard of Oz.

By Meghan Mangrum June 10, 2018 7 min read

Photo Gallery

Theater program to be revived at The Howard School

From the Times Free Press archives: HOWARD SENIOR PLAY: Rosetta Short, left, and Major Peavy are shown in a rehearsal scene from the Howard High School senior play, "Pygmalion," by George Bernard Shaw. Miss Short and Peavy appeared as Eliza Doolittle and Prof. Higgins, respectively, in the five-act comedy production, in January 1966.

From the Times Free Press archives: HOWARD ACTORS: Students of Howard High School present[ed] a "Kaleidoscope of Christmas" in December 1964 in the school auditorium. In the foreground of the Nativity scene from the production are Patricia Pruett, portraying Mary, and Bobby Pamplin, Joseph. Standing are Charles Smith, one of the wise men, and Kathleen Wallace, one of the angels. Mrs. Peter D. Simmons [directed] the chorus.

From the Times Free Press archives: IN HOWARD PLAY: Connie Council, Carolyn Bryant and Patricia Howell are seen here in a scene from "The Miracle Worker," presented by seniors of Howard High in February 1964 at the school. C.L. Hendrix directed. Others in lead roles [were] James Lewis and Napoleon Millsaps.

From the Times Free Press archives: HOWARD PLAY: Seniors at Howard High School present[ed] a three-act play, "the Rope Dancers" in January 1965. Sara Landrum, left, and William Craig, who play[ed] leading roles, are shown rehearsing a scene from the play. Percy Ewell [was] the director.

From the Times Free Press archives: HOWARD PLAY SCENE: The junior class of Howard School present[ed] "Purlie Victorius" in March 1965. Some cast members shown rehearsing a scene from the comedy are, left to right, Cornell Hayes, Major Peavy and Blondell Sneed. Admission [was] 60 cents.

- Staff photo by Tim Barber. John Lennon is ready to revive the theater program at The Howard School. Lennon, who has been a theater teacher at Signal Mountain Middle/High School for almost a decade, has been tapped to restart the theater program at The Howard School this fall.

John Lennon is ready to revive the theater program at the Howard School. Lennon has been a theater teacher at Signal Mountain Middle/High School.

From the Times Free Press archives: TO PRESENT 'WIZARD': The junior and senior high school departments at Howard High School present[ed]

More Info

If you were a part of a theater production or performance at The Howard School, know someone who was, or attended such an event, the Times Free Press would love to hear from you. Please contact staff writer Meghan Mangrum at 423-757-6592 or mmangrum@timesfreepress.com.

SCHOOLS WITH THEATER PROGRAMS

Barger Academy of Fine ArtsChattanooga High School Center for Creative ArtsDalewood Middle SchoolEast Lake Academy of Fine Arts (position currently vacant)Normal Park Museum Magnet School (theater taught by chorus teacher)Signal Mountain Middle/High SchoolSoddy Daisy Middle School (theater taught by chorus teacher)Central High School (theater taught by English teacher)East Hamilton SchoolHixson High School (theater taught by chorus teacher)Ooltewah High SchoolRed Bank High School (theater taught by English teacher)Soddy Daisy High School

In a blue sport jacket and a pair of shorts, John Lennon paces around stacks of dusty chairs, clusters of desks and piles of bricks backstage at the Howard School. He is looking for a lighting box or a control panel for the overheard lights in the school’s 1,000-plus-seat auditorium.

“Look at this place,” he spreads his arms wide. “I’ve never had a theater this big.”

Lennon, husband of Hamilton County school board member Kathy Lennon, is the former theater teacher and director at Signal Mountain Middle/High School. Now, he is coming down off the mountain to restart a full-scale theater program at Howard.