Bonneville drama teacher retires
Teachers can have a major impact on their students lives. That has certainly been the case with the drama teacher at Bonneville High School. Johlyn Dunn is calling it quits after directing 125 plays over 25 years at the school’s little theater.
“Give me my little theater, I love it,” Dunn said. “It gives the audience and the cast an opportunity to connect, versus being in a thousand-seat theater where there is someone on the back row that is really hard for them to connect to.”
Dunn points to one thing that’s been most rewarding about teaching drama.
“It’s that aha moment,”Dunn said. “It’s that moment when the concept that you have been teaching is finally comprehended, and the light bulb goes on and the excitement in the child grows.”
Just as Dunn will miss the students, they will miss her.
“One thing I’ve learned about Miss Dunn is she never puts on a bad production which has always been a great legacy for Bonneville,” Isaac Meldrum said.
“I’ve been a lot of different characters and she helped me convey the message I want to the audience, and that is incredibly important to me to be able to do that,” Lisa Petersen said.
“She’s a really big inspiration to all of us,” Brian Snow said. “She works so hard. She puts everything she has into the productions. She’s one of my personal heroes because of how hard she works.”
Steven Dresen has worked with Dunn the past 17 years as music director for the musicals.
“She has such a powerful passion in what she does and that drive towards excellence is always present,” Dunn said.
In the end, the beast magically transforms back into the prince. Somehow it’s fitting that this final show for Johlyn Dunn is “Beauty and the Beast” because it’s all about magic.
“I will miss the magic that is created in this environment,” Dunn said. “And there is magic in live theater. Nothing can match the magic of live theater.
The show runs April 21 – 23 at the Bonneville High School Little Theater, beginning at 7:30. Tickets are available online at bonnevillebees.ludustickets.com .
