The Christmas season has arrived. Halloween has passed, and that makes it full-fledged, hat-and-gloves, holiday season. At NDA, Christmas time means finals, snow and the Christmas play.

In the past, the Public Performance class has headed the performance aimed for GRACE elementary and middle schoolers. This year, however, that is going to change. NDA’s Drama Club will now be in charge of the Christmas show.

Putting on the Christmas show is not the only big change this year for the club known for putting on the Spring Play and more. There has also been a change in leadership.

Mr. Stary has taken a step down from his role, and Mrs. Gilson has become the new Drama Club Moderator.

“I’ve always been involved in drama,” says Gilson, the NDA alum and English teacher. “I was in plays every year of my life until my freshman year of college.”

Acting is not Gilson’s only qualification. She also taught Dramatic Literature at New Holstein for six years, and coached Forensics.

“I expressed an interest in drama when they first interviewed me,” recalls Gilson, “but Mr. Stary was the moderator at that time and had been for a number of years. He was doing a fantastic job, but he wanted to pursue other opportunities, so they more or less asked me at that point.”

Besides putting on the Christmas play, Gilson has also made a number of other changes to the club.

“We’ll be starting to have more monthly meetings, where we’ll do various drama activities and games,” Gilson promises of the year to come.

The club-voted president, junior Alex Wasilkoff, also promises exciting things to come this year.

“We have events like acting workshops planned, and we encourage our members to take advantage of the productions going on in the community.”

Wasilkoff greatly appreciates Gilson’s “new perspective” as a moderator and says that she is “quickly warming to the role.”

“Mrs. Gilson has been a great addition to the Drama Club,” said one of the club secretaries, sophomore Alissa DeWilde. “She has some amazing ideas and is incredibly gifted when it comes to acting and directing.”

DeWilde is also taking a new leadership role within the club, as one of the student directors for the Christmas play. Along with fellow junior Jordan Zehms, she selected the play The Conversion of Mrs. Scrooge.

“This play is aimed at getting freshmen, sophomores, and new actors introduced to the stage,” says Wasilkoff.

Auditions will be held Tuesday, November 17, at 3:30, and all are welcome to audition.

For anyone thinking about getting involved in Drama Club, Gilson says to get in contact with her and pay attention for announcements of meetings.

“We’re always looking for new members who are excited about getting involved,” said Gilson. “And I’m looking forward to an exciting year.”