Donate to help us bring "The Drama Club" to life!

We're a team of student filmmakers working on our senior capstone short film. "The Drama Club" follows a high school health teacher tasked with leading the drama club after the theatre teacher passes away. The only thing is he knows nothing about theatre and the students who care for it so much. Help us make our vision a reality by donating today!

Artist/Director’s Statement:

The Drama Club is all about reconnecting with our adolescent passions. As a young artist, many of my fondest memories were up on the stage, or experiencing chaos in a rehearsal room, much like the one in this film. Theatre allowed me to gain practical & social skills, teamwork experience, and most importantly, confidence in myself. While you might not have been a “theatre kid” like me, I don’t doubt that you had an activity, a sport, or an interest that you loved. Whatever that passion was, let this film take you back in time, so you can remember it and experience that excitement again. By supporting this film, you’re creating space for joy and community at a time in the world when we could all use it. - MK

Why your help matters:

As student filmmakers, we will be sourcing our financial support from donors like you. Your donation will help with our production design, including costumes and props, cast and crew compensation, and fees for film festival submission. Your impact on our film doesn’t just stop with a donation . After your donation, you’ll be recognized in the credits of our film as a contributor, as a special thanks for your important role in the success of The Drama Club.

What’s so important about the arts anyway?

The impact created by after-school activities like the one in this film speaks for itself. Studies show that students who participate in arts education achieve higher standardized test scores, less disciplinary infractions, and show more compassion for others (Brian Kisida & Daniel H. Bowen, Texas A&M University). Through the opportunity they give students to express themselves, drama clubs change lives. They create community. This film aims to honor the dedication that American teachers, specifically in the arts, have for their work, and pay homage to them.

Meet the team!

MaryKatherine Patteson (she/her) (Writer/Director)

MK is a senior Media Arts & Design/Theatre major at James Madison University. Originally from New England, she is passionate about telling stories that are unique, yet share themes that speak to a universal audience. Aside from being a filmmaker, she’s an actor, playwright, stage director, publicist, and photographer.

Millie Buckberg (she/her) (Assistant Director)

Millie is our Assistant Director and a senior student majoring in Media Arts & Design, with a concentration in Digital Video & Cinema and minors in Film and Honors Interdisciplinary Studies. A passionate writer and filmmaker, she is keen on everything within the entertainment industry. After having worked and lived in Los Angeles, her love for film burns brighter everyday and she is excited to channel that into this amazing project. She loves telling stories that cannot only be enjoyed by all, but can be resonated with by everyone too. She is excited to work with this incredibly talented team to create a memorable, touching, and entertaining film!

Madison McKenna (she/her) (Co-Producer)

Maiti McKenna is a senior student at JMU majoring in Media Arts & Design, with a concentration in Digital Video & Cinema, and minors in Creative Writing and Theatre. Originally from Northern Virginia, she is beyond excited to be co-producing this film and bring the team’s vision to life. She has a deep passion for film and hopes to produce major films one day. She is most looking forward to reconnecting to her inner high school theatre kid and putting together an amazing short film.

Joya Payne (she/her) (Co-Producer)

Joya is a senior Media Arts & Design major with a concentration in Digital Video & Cinema with a minor in Creative Writing. She’s originally from Fisherville, VA and is one of The Drama Club’s producers. Her comfort movie has to be Bratz (2007) and she enjoys anything that challenges her creative side, but especially reading and baking. She is so excited for our team to work together to create something that is new, fresh, and something no one has seen before!

David Lemon (he/him) (Director of Photography)

David is a senior Media Arts & Design major with a concentration in Digital Video & Cinema. Originally from Smithfield, VA, he loves everything to do with the outdoors and hopes to shoot nature documentaries one day. He’s looking forward to getting more experience of being a cinematographer on a film set.

Emily Volin (she/her) (Editor)

Emily is a senior SMAD Major with a concentration in Digital Video & Cinema, and minors in British Communication & Media and Honors Interdisciplinary Studies. Originally from Cherry Hill, New Jersey- go birds!- but has loved finding her home at JMU by making films with Doghouse Productions, volunteered locally with GIVE, and working at the Welcome Center at UREC (come say hi!). For fun, she likes to read, run, and do puzzles (usually with How I Met Your Mother in the background), and she is so excited to be part of The Drama Club production team. She most looks forward to getting to know the team and seeing how the story evolves throughout the semester!

For more information about arts education: see the following!

New York Times

American Academy of Arts and Sciences

Brookings