ABOUT THE JGW DRAMA CLUB

The JGW Drama Club has been active at J.G. Whittier Middle School since 2018. The club has produced Hairspray Jr., Willy Wonka Jr., Moana Jr.,  The Lion King Jr.,  Matilda the Musical, Into the Woods Jr., and most recently The Addams Family Young@Part. The drama club also hosts an annual talent show and chorus concert, both of which help to provide funds for the club in return. These efforts have led to complete self-sustainability without the need of additional funding.

The JGW Drama Club was voted HAVERHILL’S BEST AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM 2023
by  The Eagle Tribune and The Haverhill Gazette.

Rules & Regulations of The JGW Drama Club:

  1. All students who are in grades 3-12 and live in Haverhill are welcome to participate in The JGW Drama Club. If your child has a drama club at their own school, it’s common courtesy to speak to the director about joining our club as well. Our drama club operates outside the time frames of ALL drama clubs in Haverhill Public Schools to ensure that everyone can participate if they want to, and we will always make sure to accommodate this in the future.
  2. DIGITAL MEDIA AGREEMENT: All families of The JGW Drama Club agree to the performance requirement of allowing The JGW Drama Club, Haverhill Public Schools, and their affiliates, to photograph and videotape the child and/or children participating in the club, for documentation and promotional purposes.
  3. The students of The JGW Drama Club are to be prime examples of excellent behavior and good academic standing; all members, both on-stage and off-stage, must abide by this policy.
  4. This means that we’ll be observing a strict 3-strike policy, which will be provided on our website and via email, in which a student may be removed from the program if their behavior escalates to that level.
  5. The families of The JGW Drama Club understand that good behavior and good academic standing are both very important, and that the performer may be placed on probation or removed from the club if their behavior and/or grades suffer while participating in this club.
  6. The families of The JGW Drama Club also promise to abide by the rehearsal schedule and attend all rehearsals as outlined until closing night. In addition to this, the families of The JGW Drama Club understand that, if more than 2 rehearsals are missed for a production, the performer may be removed from the show.

JGW Drama co-Director of Student Social & Emotional Support, Ms. Maddie Hanson (HHS 2021)

Ms. Madalyn Hanson has been the co-Director of The JGW Drama Club with Mr. G since their production of Moana Jr. in 2022. She now works daily at Whittier Middle School in the 8th grade as an ESP and loves being able to connect with students, both in the classroom and on the stage.

Ms. Hanson is a former student of the American Musical & Dramatic Academy in Manhattan, having spent over a year developing her professional vocal and acting technique in a professional, Broadway-level atmosphere.

Some of Maddie’s previous theatrical roles include playing Maureen in Haverhill High School’s HONK! (2021) and Miss Honey in JGW Drama’s Matilda (2023).

“My biggest joy is to be able to take the experience I gained in NYC and apply it to the experiences that the children are having, both on the stage and in the classroom.” -Ms. Hanson, JGW ESP