For the students in the production of “Pride and Prejudice,” a reenactment of the novel by Jane Austen, they dedicated months of their time and efforts to engaging both their fellow peers and parents. However, at the Thursday matinee for the show, there was an overwhelming number of senior citizens in attendance. Coming from numerous nursing/senior homes, these people came together to support the students, the theatre program, and the town as a whole. With one even remarking, “I’ve lived in this town for most of my life and every year I come to see the plays, and man are those kids pretty fricking talented!”
In a town like Chatham, where everyone is naturally so engulfed in their own lives and doesn’t make time for others, the seniors always find a way to. But even with this, students in Chatham forget the sheer amount of elderly people that live within our community, with one saying, “I had no idea Chatham had so many old people.”
As funny as it is, it’s a sad reality that we, as young people, tend to take the older people for granted. And fail to see that even though they aren’t in our everyday lives, they are still some of our biggest fans. So fittingly, to show our gratitude, the Chatham Education Association helped coordinate a dinner after the show for the seniors to show our appreciation towards them for showing up to support the school, as well as the theatre program. So as the cast came out onto the stage and gave their final bows, the seniors roaringly applauded – regardless of whether they knew the people on stage or not. They came out to support the community and its kids, not because they have to, but because they want to. The pride in this town runs deep, and this is just one of many ways they show it.
