Students, alumna star in The Theater Bug’s “Selfie”
Surina Birdee ’29, Sadie Sims ’29, Zazou Gray ’28, Marin Rorex ’27, Kari Belle King ’24, and Gillian Flatt ’21 will perform in the arts nonprofit’s summer musical.
By Sierra Smith, Communications Specialist
The USN community, theater aficionados, and anyone looking for heartwarming, thoughtful entertainment can catch several Tigers on stage in The Theater Bug’s “Selfie,” which opens Thursday, July 22 and runs through Sunday, Aug. 1.
Billed as a musical that “addresses cyber bullying, body positivity, and navigating relationships when your whole life is online,” the production features students Surina Birdee ’29, Sadie Sims ’29, Zazou Gray ’28, Marin Rorex ’27, and Kari Belle King ’24, as well as alumna Gillian Flatt ’21 cast in one of the three leading roles as Marla. What’s more, “Selfie” features choreography from another familiar face around the halls of 2000 Edgehill — Middle School Theater Director Bakari King.
“USN has had such a strong connection to The Theater Bug for years, and it’s just incredible to feel like our family, and our family business, are so supported by this school community,” shared Cori Anne Laemmel, The Theater Bug’s artistic director and parent of Lucky Laemmel ’33. “I can always see the emphasis on inclusivity and a strong work ethic that exists at USN translated into life outside of school when USN students work on The Theater Bug productions.”
View the behind the scenes video for “Selfie” here, and purchase tickets to see these Tiger thespians and their castmates take the stage on The Theater Bug's website. Seating is limited and several shows are at or near capacity.
Middle School and High School Chinese Teacher Josephine Huang has been involved with USN as a volunteer, a parent, and a teacher. Now in her 20th year as a faculty member, Huang's innovative lessons and belief in relationships continue to instill in students a lifelong love of learning.
Director of Auxiliary Services Rebecca Stokes was given the Summer Programs and Auxiliary Revenue Collaborative’s award for her work including students in the selection of a new playground, transitioning the school bookstore, refining registration systems and processes for summer camps & enrichment activities, and expanding the school’s cultural and holiday celebrations to be inclusive of USN’s diverse student body.
University School of Nashville welcomes prospective families to tour the Edgehill Campus, speak with students, faculty, and administrators, and learn about our K-12 school's academic, athletic, and arts offerings. Sessions will take place at 9:30 a.m. for Middle & High Schools and 1 p.m. for Lower School. Let us know you are coming at usn.org/preview.
Winged Deer Park and trails in Johnson City hosted our 4th race on Sunday October 11th, and despite a bit of hurricane outwash winds and showers - and reduced team numbers due to fall break and distance from Nashville - our racers utilized all available skills and fitness aquired which helped “wing" Sophomore Claire Dehner to a 4th place podium spot, our first podium appearance and medal for the season.
Tiger golfers have officially qualified for the region tournament, and our other teams are not far behind. Volleyball sits near the top of the district, finishing up regular season play next week with Senior Night. Girls soccer continues to hold first place in the district after another 9-0 win, and our cross country runners are chasing after some school records. To round it all out, our mountain bike team traveled to Oakfield to continue to improve on their times for the season. There’s plenty more where that came from- so be sure to come out to the River Campus, Sperling Gym, or out on the road to cheer on our Tigers before their seasons end.
Middle School volleyball and tennis teams are nearing the final games of their seasons, with the competition heating up while the Tigers play to determine their HVAC rankings. Cross country was finally able to race at the River Campus despite the heat, and our mountain biking team traveled to Oakfield, Tennessee, for a high-temperature race weekend.
USN Mission: University School of Nashville models the best educational practices. In an environment that represents the cultural and ethnic composition of Metropolitan Nashville, USN fosters each student’s intellectual, artistic, and athletic potential, valuing and inspiring integrity, creative expression, a love of learning, and the pursuit of excellence.