Recently, the issues surrounding the theater have been all the buzz around both the school and community. Former theater manager, Michael Herman, created a fake Facebook account and befriended local students and parents in order to get onto the well known Facebook group of local moms, KBK moms. During the winter, the issue was blown out of proportion by both sides, causing rumors and countless accusations.

The irony of this situation is inherent. The fall play this year was The Crucible, a drama about the Salem witch trials, which was written during the time of the Red Scare as an allusion to the events of the time. This type of witch hunt situation is exactly what was happening. It’s as if this fall’s production of The Crucible was an odd coincidence that foreshadowed the recent events.

In comparison, the winter musical, As You Like It: A Modern Musical, is a story about love with a strong theme of acceptance and compassion. With lyrics such as “all are welcome here”, “we shall answer to adversity with kindness”, and “still I will love”, the show builds on the irony of the situation, although for different reasons. Seeing all this hatred and negativity surrounding the theater program while the show was about love seemed eerily ironic. As You Like It preached a message of positivity and love, while the real world didn’t feel quite as pretty. If only Kennebunk was like the forest of Arden.