by Frankie Marrone, ’03, Executive Artistic Director
Tri-School Theatre is a valued part of Servite’s 60-year history. The unique and respected educational theater program shared between Servite and sister schools, Connelly and Rosary, was the brainchild of founder, Executive Director (and Rosary Alumna) Amy Luskey-Barth. Its mission is to provide a way for students to nurture their God-given gifts through process-oriented training in a Christ-centered environment.
Before Tri-School, Father Fred Gaglia, produced musicals in the Servite Gym with students from all three schools and Marywood between 1968 and the late 1970s. Seeing the need for something more, Luskey-Barth took on the task of founding a formal educational theatre program. Luskey-Barth challenged students to push themselves and to produce shows with professional artistic values. Working with director and alumnus Joseph Collins ’73, choreographer Randy Hills and Tri-School’s founding Musical Director Brian Shucker, Tri-School produced hits each year. The legacy of Shucker has been immortalized in the Inspirational Award given to students who most exemplify his generosity, commitment, and passion for the arts.
Early in its 29-year history, Barth led Tri-School to co-produce the Original Musical Yearbook which had the honor of being performed on the main stage of the International Thespian Festival. Tri-School and its original cast of Yearbook is credited in the published script. During this “Golden Age,” Tri-School was awarded the prestigious Macy Award in 1992 for Brigadoon, 1994 for Into the Woods, 1995 for Carousel, 1996 for Fiddler on the Roof, 1997 for The Secret Garden and 1998 for Children of Eden.
By the early 2000’s, Tri-School was a key player among the educational theatre community. The conservatory style program offered students classes in acting, singing, dancing, playwriting, directing, and technical theatre. The Program continued to garner more Macy’s and be honored with a second performance at the International Thespian Festival with the 1940’s review A Joyful Noise: Sentimental Journey. The program performed at the Fringe Festival in Edinborough Scotland in 2006 with a revival production of Yearbook, in 2009 with You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown, and in 2014 with a second revival of Yearbook.
It was during this time Tri-School/Rosary alumna Hillary Pearson led as Artistic Director growing Tri-School to produce three main stage productions yearly, establish a Comedy Sportz Team, and have students elected to the California State Thespian Board of Officers. Last year, marked the return of Tri-School and Servite alumnus, Frankie Marrone ’03, as Executive Artistic Director as well as founding Technical Director, Robert J. Robertson, as Executive Director of Operations.
Tri-School continues to be a leader in the educational theatre community offering a first class Technical Theatre Program, Conservatory Classes, Improvisational Comedy Teams, top-notch productions, and affiliations with The Thespians. Alumni from all three schools teach classes and work in the Program.
