Chelsea High School Alum Breathes New Life into Drama Program

For Chelsea High School alumna Carrie Jay Sayer, returning to school and walking the halls after more than 20 years was more of a welcomed homecoming than a job.

Sayer, a resident of Dexter and longtime professional actress, was hired as the school's drama director in 2012, and has since spent countless hours transforming the guild into an award-winning program.

"It's cool to be back," she said.

Sayer directed the CHS fall musical, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, last year to rave reviews.

"It was an awesome musical that drew interest from a large group of students," she said. "Some audiences members told me it was the best show that they'd seen at the high school in years."

After the show closed, school officials were so impressed that they asked Sayer to continue on with the program — an invitation she was more than willing to accept.

"To come back with all of my life experience and mentor these kids who have an interest and passion in theater is a dream come true," she said.

And while the thought of returning to high school might be terrifying for some, Sayer sees it as a positive challenge.

"(High school) definitely wasn't the same as when I was growing up," she joked.

Sayer has been teaching acting and voice lessons off and on for roughly 10 years, with training from the Purple Rose Theatre in Chelsea, Meadowbrook Theatre, Boarshead Professional Theatre, the University of Florida, and Michigan State University.

"Through my professional training, I am able to use my skills to work with students to help them grow in their individual areas. At the same time I know that there's a lot going on in the mind of a high school teenager because I've been there," she said. "At practice, I play and create together with the students to show them that its okay, even the director can let her guard down."

Recently the club completed its annual one-act festival after participating in the Michigan Interscholastic Forensic Association's One Act district competition on Jan. 26. The club performed BEES, an original one-act written by Sayer's mother, a professor of women's studies and playwright at Eastern Michigan University.

Members competed against Milan, Western, Ann Arbor Huron, Winans Academy and Ann Arbor Pioneer high schools, and received the "Best Concept" award for the original work.

With the school year more than halfway finished, the Chelsea Theater Guild is currently working on a spring play for the first time in its history. The club will perform Black Comedy, a one-act farce by Peter Shaffer on April 26-28.

"We're really excited about the show," Sayer said. "All of the kids are working hard to pull off another great night of theater."

Between shows, Sayer pulls from her extensive list of friends and fellow professional actors to lead workshops with students at the Guild. This month actors at the Purple Rose Theatre met with students to teach stage combat, stage management, and improvisation.

"The Purple Rose is a great resource for these kids, and it's right here in our community," Sayer said. "It's nice to be able to bring in people who perform for a living to introduce students to the world of professional theater."

Guy Sanville, artistic director for the Purple Rose, said he enjoys working with Sayer and the students.

"She brings 100 percent of herself to work every time, and it is a pleasure to create art together," he said.

In the future, she said she hopes to expand the drama program to Beach Middle School to begin working students at an early age.

"Sometimes kids get to high school and there's this 'deer in the headlights' moment," she said. "If we can develop a program at the middle school, students will be more prepared when they come to the Guild."

For more information on Sayer and the Chelsea High School Theater Guild, visit http://carriejaystudio.com/.