Phyllis Vecchia’s Creative Drama Women in History theatre program brought history alive this year for Island students and Girl Scouts troops.

Tisbury School sixty grader Lily Sebastian looks the part. — Courtesy Phyllis Vecchia

At Tisbury School eighth graders studied Falmouth whaling wife Mary Chipman Lawrence, Anne Hutchinson, the Suffragists and Phillis Wheatley. Sixth graders learned about the women from the Salem Witch Trials, Abigail Adams, and Eleanor Roosevelt.

Chilmark School second and third graders reenacted the life of Phillis Wheatley and Abigail Adams.

Vanessa Fink’s Girl Scout troop performed the life of Girl Scouts founder Juliette Gordon Low. Another troop led by Megan Carroll performed the story of suffragist Amelia Bloomer.

Chilmark school second and third graders reenacted the life of Phillis Wheatley and Abigail Adams. — Courtesy Phyllis Vecchia

Thirty classes were taught this year through the Women in History program, which is paid for by the towns of Tisbury and Chilmark and private funding and donors.

“I thought the Women in History plays were fun because we got to come together as a class and act out plays, one Tisbury sixth grader wrote in an evaluation. “I learned that back then the women didn’t have the same rights as we do now and that we can make a difference.”

Tisbury School librarian Whitney Burke and library assistant Mary Jean Connelly provided guidance and resources in supporting this program, Jennifer Parkinson and Gail Tipton helped with typing and editing of scripts, and Haley Panek offered her graphic design skills.

For more information about the program please contact Phyllis Vecchia at 508-696-8738.