Discovery School theater arts teacher spends her free time acting outside school

Mrs. Isaac has been teaching for over five years and recently joined Discovery last year as a theater arts teacher. Although she works as a teacher, she spends her time acting in other places outside of school. “I’ve always loved to perform.When I was little, I would pretend to have concerts in front of my parents in the living room. I found my love of theater in my first elementary school play,” Isaac said.

Isaac received her youth theater degree from ECU, but it didn’t include a teaching license. “I decided to go back to school for a teaching degree, and my professor said I could be a theater arts teacher at the high school,” stated Issac. “I applied and got the job. Originally, I thought I would be an elementary school teacher, not middle or high school,” she continued.

Currently, she is preparing to act as the character Jovie in “Elf the Musical” with The Greenroom in downtown Newton. She wanted to act in any play, and Elf was the option that worked with her schedule. The musical is similar to the movie, which is about a man named Buddy who believes he’s an elf and discovers he is a human with a father in New York. He goes on a journey to find his father, but to his surprise, he is different from what he envisioned.

Despite the similarities, there are some changes to the play. According to Isaac, “The biggest change is the music, because they made it into a musical. Some of the most iconic things, like Jovie singing in the shower, are not in this one.”

Isaac has the role of Jovie, Buddy’s girlfriend, and is doing a lot to prepare for the role. She is learning how to roller skate and has rehearsals every night from 6:30–9:00, Sundays through Thursdays. During rehearsal, they go over lines, songs, and dances to make sure the audience sees a flawless performance.

The musical takes place on November 17th, 18th, 19th, 24th, 25th, 26th, and December 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. We hope everyone goes to the musical to support Ms. Isaac.