PLAYBILLDER Spotlight: These High School Students Honor Real People in I Never Saw Another Butterfly

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 Dallastown Area High School of Dallastown, Pennsylvania, and their production of I Never Saw Another Butterfly. Celeste Raspanti's play tells the story of the 15,000 Jewish children who passed through Terezin, a concentration camp in the contemporary Czech Republic. A survivor, Raja, narrates the play in flashbacks as a teacher, Irena, gives children hope and the courage to write down the truth of their experiences. The play is based on the book, I Never Saw Another Butterfly: Children’s Poems and Drawings from Terezin Concentration Camp 1942 - 1944, which was originally published in 1964. 

English Teacher Bethany Yuninger shared with Playbill why she hopes to level the playing field with her school's football program and why the performing arts creates unparalleled leadership experiences for educators.  

Tell us a little about yourself. How many teachers have you been teaching?
Bethany Yuninger: I have been teaching for 26 years.

Can you share a little bit about the value you see in having a performing arts program in schools?
Performing arts programs are invaluable to all school settings, as they not only increase overall student performance on standardized tests and classroom grading systems, but they provide the students who need community an accepting, growth-oriented space to be themselves, pursue their passions, try on new roles, hone career-oriented skills, and develop their personal sense of self-worth. There's no leadership training as effective as putting a production into the hands of students. 

How does your school’s performing arts programs impact your community?
I would love for the community at large to immediately think of DPAC when they think of DAHS. Our program has been running for almost 20 years, yet we're still struggling to reach a level of exposure to match the more entrenched programs such as football. I'd also love for the school and larger community to be more excited for plays. While big budget shows are flashy and lots of fun, smaller-scale dramas and comedies can be just as impactful, if not more.

Tell us a little bit about the production. What made you pick the show?
We try to expose the kids to as many different types of shows as possible within the realms of plays, and this year we were on deck for a straight drama in our cycle. The themes carried throughout the character arc are particularly resonant at the moment.

What are the kids loving about the show?
The kids really loved our collaboration with the York Jewish Community Center and our field trip to the National Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C.

What message do you have for your students as they take the stage?
As the kids take the stage, I'd like them to remember all the work they have put in up to this point, and allow that to give them the confidence to fully embodies their roles, keeping in mind that they are honoring the memories of real people who endured real horrors.

How has PLAYBILLDER impacted your performing arts program as a resource?
PLAYBILLDER has increased the professional look of our playbills while making the design process much more straightforward.

To design Broadway-quality programs for your next show or special event, 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.