Welcome to PLAYBILLDER Spotlight, where Playbill highlights shows from educational institutions or regional theatres and special events around the country (who have used Playbill's program-building service). By welcoming these PLAYBILLDERs center stage, we hope to give our readers a more in-depth look at theatre programs that are fostering the love of the performing arts in the next generation and the way theatre lovers are bringing Playbill along for life's big moments.

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This week's Spotlight is Roswell High School of Roswell, Georgia, and their production of James and the Giant Peach. The musical, adapted from the beloved Roald Dahl's children's book of the same name, follows young James in his journey to New York City inside the giant peach grown in his wicked aunts' garden. Accompanied by a bunch of human-sized bugs, James must navigate hunger and cold as he crosses an ocean in search of family. 

Drama teacher James Rutherford shared with Playbill how his students improvised during a major technical malfunction and which message he finds most important to teach his students. 

Tell us a little about yourself. How many years have you been teaching?
James Rutherford: I am in my seventh year teaching.

What is your proudest moment as an educator?
During a production of Sweeney Todd in January of last year, a massive storm blew out our sound system just before house opened on opening night. My students banded together to perform the show anyway with only a tailgate-style portable speaker, no microphones, and no monitors. For such a complicated musical score, and with no way to hear the music, my students delivered a phenomenal performance built on mutual trust and support. I was beaming when I saw them at the end of the run.

Can you share a little bit about the value you see in having a performing arts program in schools?
The performing arts are the great synthesizer of the educational experience. We teach empathy, respect, and work ethic—sure, absolutely!—but we also give students an opportunity to explore other worlds, other times. To walk a mile in the shoes of another person and to learn more about who they (the characters) are while also developing as a young human being. Moreover, technical theatre is the home of applied physics, mathematics, economics—the list goes on and on. Students involved in theatre programs have firsthand experience applying the principles learned in other subjects while working toward a creative end result.

What are the most challenging and most rewarding aspects of teaching the performing arts to today’s students?
The most challenging—learning to take the time to explore the material instead of cranking something out of the production machine. The most rewarding—learning what makes this production at this time with these people special is a learned skill. It takes time and focus to get that message to sink into a student's head.

What shows are your kids obsessed with right now?
Epic: The Musical.

Tell us a little bit about the production. What made you pick the show? How do you choose shows for your students?
I picked James and the Giant Peach due to its beautiful, seemingly simple (but incredibly complex) theme of family. Our season last year was incredibly tragic: Julius Caesar followed by Sweeney Todd followed by Romeo & Juliet. I wanted to give my students something fun, uplifting, and joyous to explore.

What are the kids loving about the show?
The dancing. The show has so many incredible uptempo musical numbers that my students have eaten up.

What message do you have for your students as they take the stage?
Remember that we are honored to share this gift with an audience and with one another. Enjoy the moments you share on stage with one another. Theatre is fleeting—that is what makes it beautiful.

How has PLAYBILLDER impacted your performing arts program as a resource? PLAYBILLDER creates a sense of professionalism to our program that has spread in the expectations the audiences have for us while also raising our expectations for ourselves. This, in turn, leads to incredible work on the stage. It's a never-ending cycle of improvement!

To design Broadway-quality programs for your next show, head to PLAYBILLDER.com. Who knows, you might just be featured in our next PLAYBILLDER Spotlight! And if you are looking for a beautiful way to display your Playbills, click here to purchase Playbill frames.