Theatre

A Showcase for Developing Talent

Barstow’s performing arts program and theatre workshops set the stage for creativity, collaboration, cultural understanding and personal growth. Everyone has a role in the Barstow theatre program.
Barstow Theatre's outstanding annual productions include division-level musicals and student-produced plays. Lower school students become comfortable on stage through theatre workshops, while middle and upper school students explore classic and contemporary plays, hone acting and script writing skills and learn set construction, costume and lighting design in a variety of electives. Whether on campus, in a regional show or on a global stage , Barstow theatre students joyfully produce and perform as they discover the freedom of self-expression.

2023-2024 Productions

Barstow welcomes Patrick Star, a picky princess and a pair of fishy friends to the stage in 2023-2024. Director of Theatre Bob Kohler announced the lower, middle and upper school musical selections in May.

Upper school students will present "The SpongeBob Musical," October 19, 20 and 21, under the guest direction of Jason Chanos,  associate artistic director of the KCRep. Chanos has an MFA from UMKC and was a professor at Pepperdine University before returning to Kansas City in 2015. He is also the director of the KCRep's beloved holiday production of "A Christmas Carol." 

The middle school musical is "Once Upon a Mattress: Youth Edition" Jan. 18-20, 2024.  The beloved musical, designed for young performers. Winifred the Woebegone is just a simple swamp princess looking to win the heart of Prince Dauntless. But can she pass the impossible test in store for her?

Whodunit? Based on the iconic 1985 movie which inspired the classic board game, this year's upper school play is "Clue: On Stage (High School Edition), Feb. 22, 23 and 24." The tale begins at a remote mansion, where six mysterious guests — Wadsworth the butler, Miss Scarlet, Professor Plum, Mrs. White, Mr. Green, Mrs. Peacock and Colonel Mustard — assemble for an unusual dinner party. 

The lower school musical is "Finding Nemo KIDS," April 18-19, 2024. It's about the adventures of an lost clownfish and his forgetful, but optimistic friend, Dory. 

Upper School Musical

Upper School Musical 2023

Lower School Musical

Lower School Musical 2023

Upper School Electives

List of 7 frequently asked questions.

  • Acting I & II

    These courses train and develop the student actor, while focusing on performance as an activity that leads to enhanced social awareness. Students learn to deliver performances that are truthful, individual and memorable. They develop awareness of all the senses and draw on intuition and intelligence.
  • Advanced Acting Honors

    This class builds on Acting I and Acting II. Students study acting techniques, concentrating on performance skills.
  • Production I: Advanced Theatre Honors

    This class produces the upper school spring play. Students work rigorously in acting, singing and dancing. This class is for the serious theatre student interested in performing in a main stage production.
  • Production II: Musical Theatre Honors

    This class produces the upper school fall musical. Students work rigorously in acting, singing and dancing. This class is for the serious theatre student who is interested in performing in a main stage production.
  • Production II: Technical Theatre Honors

    This class is responsible for producing Barstow’s main stage productions: The upper school musical in the fall and the upper school play in the spring. This class is for the serious theatre student interested in all the technical aspects of production: scenery, sound, lighting and costuming.
  • Scriptwriting

    Designed to train and develop the student playwright. Writing scripts may take many forms—scenes, one-act and full-length plays, commercials, short films and feature film screenplays. This course teaches students the fundamental elements of storytelling, as well as to understand basic elements of genres, to sustain an interesting story, to create strong characters, to develop theme and symbols and to structure it all into a finished script. Students participate in the Coterie Theatre’s "Reaching the Write Minds" program.
  • Theatre Arts: Production & Design

    For the student who enjoys all areas of theatre and would love to learn how they work together. All technical aspects will be covered. Students will learn about script analysis, set design lights, sound, costume and other production elements necessary to produce a play or musical. This class culminates in a full design of a play and the direction of a scene from the chosen and approved production.

Theatre Department

List of 3 members.

  • Photo of Robert Kohler

    Robert Kohler 

    LS, MS & US Director Theatre
    (816) 277-0430
  • Photo of Josh Markley

    Josh Markley 

    MS & US Choral Music Director, MS & US Technology Coach
    (816) 277-0332
  • Photo of Kristi Mitchell

    Kristi Mitchell 

    LS Music Grades 1-5
    (816) 277-0330