Chapel Hill High School fosters an environment that encourages both educational excellence and engagement in athletics and the arts. The school offers over 12 varsity sports, as well as performing arts and instrument groups, that give students the opportunity to get involved in areas they are passionate about.
Despite having access to a wide variety of communities, some students continue to face difficulties feeling part of a group, and they may lack the confidence to interact in a meaningful and fulfilling way.
Growing up, senior Nicole Taxman was one such student: she struggled to find opportunities to express her theatrical and creative side in a setting that was both encouraging and inclusive.
After years of rejection, Taxman decided to create an environment where she and others could follow their passion for performing and where they felt supported and could express themselves authentically.
During Taxman’s sophomore year, she founded the PEALS club; the club’s name is an acronym for “performing experience for art-loving students.”
The club, which meets once a week during lunch, gives members the opportunity to rehearse and perform what they’re working on, “whether it be a dance, a song, a monologue, a poem even,” Taxman said. “It’s a judgment free zone to help build comfort and confidence on stage.”
Many performers in the club engage in music groups and theatrical performances outside of the school, so the club allows them to rehearse what they are working on in a “chill’ and intimate setting, Taxman said.
PEALS is led by Taxman, the club’s president, and senior vice presidents Simone Rosenthal and Lee Win; Thomas Drago, the school’s theater director is the faculty advisor.
While Taxman said the club has made a significant impact on the students at the school, she knew she wanted the club to serve the school and community in a greater capacity, leading to a production of The Wizard of Oz earlier this month.
Working with Fonda Smith, a music therapist at Hidden Voice Music Therapy in Durham, NC, as part of her Girl Scout Gold Award project, Taxman and Smith created Hidden Gold Theater, which aims to “showcase a wide variety of unique abilities and expand the audience’s perspectives,” Taxman said in her mission statement.
Hidden Gold Theater recently debuted a special rendition of The Wizard of Oz featuring cast members of all ages, mental and physical abilities and performing experience, from all over the Triangle area.
The cast featured 25 students with disabilities and many more community volunteers, including some PEALS members.
“It’s crucial for people who love music and theater to have the opportunity to perform, especially for those with communication challenges,” Taxman said. “As a child, I found it difficult to connect with others through conversation, but through theater and music, I was able to break out of my shell in ways I never expected.”
The cast began rehearsals in July and met biweekly leading up to the November 2 show at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Durham.
“I was pretty involved,” Taxman said. “I took pictures for Instagram, helped to paint lollipops and the mushrooms for Munchkinland, and I served as the stage manager.”
Many of the PEALS club members volunteered in creating stage props, designing costumes and helping on stage during the performance.
Senior Micah Elia, a PEALS club member who served on the stage crew and helped to create props, said their involvement with the production was rewarding and uplifting.
“It’s wonderful to watch my typically shyer peers feel so clearly at home in the club Nicole has cultivated,” Elia said. “[Nicole’s] kindness and support really helps achieve the goal of the club and make people feel safe enough to perform, which is amazing!”
Taxman was pleased with the outcome of the Wizard of Oz performance and believes its success will pave the way for future productions, offering more opportunities for talent to be showcased.
“I hope that future students at the school know that there’s a place for them in the spotlight with the continuation of PEALS,” Taxman said. “Everyone has something special going for them, whether they see it or not, and I hope to find leaders for PEALS who will recognize how important it is to make people feel seen and heard.”
