On Fri., March 27, students and faculty gathered in Benjamin Hall for the Performing Arts Fusion Assembly. During this event, various members of the Benjamin community shared their written works, including plays, poems, short stories, and more. This event was a great way for peers to celebrate each other and for all to see how much the performing arts department is thriving.
At the Fusion Assembly, writers had the opportunity to read their own pieces or to have a member of the Benjamin Theater Company read them for them.
Mr. Dave Morrin, US Associate Director of College Counseling, read his own poem: “I felt excited and grateful to perform a college-related poem for the whole school. I feel very comfortable on stage, because I’ve been a poet and spoken word artist for many years, having performed at poetry slams and open mics across the country. Writing has always come naturally to me, but performing hasn’t. My talent is writing, more than performing. But I know that if I don’t perform, then my poetry will just remain silent in dusty notebooks or Google Docs. So when opportunities like Fusion arise, I choose to share. All of us have unique talents, so I wanted to share mine in hopes that it might inspire students to share theirs in the future, too.”
Mr. Morrin’s piece celebrated his past and future, “Labor dually celebrates two things: the labor of being the first person in your family to go to college, and also, the hard work of motherhood. Life circumstances prevented my mom from being able to continue her education after high school. So I wrote this poem about her, after she died, as a way to honor her sacrifices and to recognize my college achievements as my mom’s achievements, too. It was also important to me that any aspiring first-gen students saw themselves reflected in this poem, so that it was real and relevant to them, not just about my own story. This is an “us” poem instead of a “me” poem.” He continued, “Those words remind me that my mom’s dreams for me will always be with me. Even though she’s no longer with me on earth, her love is. After college, I earned a Master’s degree. And I’m currently a doctoral student in a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) program, working toward an Ed.D. degree. Soon, I’ll be Dr. Morrin, and especially for a first-gen college student, that’s huge. Without my mom’s sacrifices, that goal wouldn’t be possible.”
Other writers chose to have their piece read aloud for them. “For Fusion, I was asked to perform a short story that had been submitted anonymously. I tried to familiarize myself with the writing before the assembly. It felt really good to be able to help share someone’s story even if they didn’t feel comfortable enough to read it themselves,” explained junior Isabella Anthon.
Many personal pieces were shared, including those with sentimental value, imaginative elements, and various themes and concepts.
“My short story was about these three characters, one was a doctor, and one was an EMT, but years back, his brother needed a heart transplant, and the hospital director’s daughter also needed a heart transplant. The EMT’s brother was higher on the transplant list, but the doctor switched them to favor the hospital director’s daughter. She got the heart instead of the brother, and the EMT found out about it and confronted the doctor. It was about the whole ethical situation of it all,” shared senior Bella Contacessa.
The Fusion Assembly is more than just a way to share creativity and inspiration. It is an event where students and teachers can try something new and step outside of their normal comfort zones.
“It’s really hard for many teenagers to muster the courage to be on stage, especially sharing original pieces in front of the entire school, so if anyone reading this is considering reciting their words next time but feels nervous, I say just do it,” expressed Mr. Morrin.
Overall, the Fusion Assembly was a huge success, an event where nerves, a love of storytelling, and a supportive community all came together to celebrate Benjamin’s avid writers.
*To read Mr. Morrin’s poem, click here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QPKJ7DW9KTG_rAE0YV-wt_ao-BJhf7SFCAYnejLLxBc/edit?tab=t.0&usp=gmail.
