As the house lights dim and the stage goes quiet at Serrano High School this June, it won’t just be the end of another school year. It will mark the final curtain call for Theater Director Beverly Quinn, a woman who hasn’t just taught theater for the last few decades, but helped build a sanctuary.
After a career spanning roughly 90 productions, Quinn is set to retire, leaving behind a program that she transformed from two simple Drama 1 classes into a sprawling Theater Arts Department that produces 22 performances a year! From grand-scale musicals like the current hit production of Frozen to intimate monologue nights, Quinn’s tenure has been defined by a relentless drive for excellence and a deep maternal care for the students under her wing.
Quinn’s journey began in San Antonio, Texas, where she first fell in love with the art form in high school. That early spark turned into a lifelong mission. “I realized that if I went into educational theatre, I would be able to raise a family within the work schedule of a teacher’s contract,” Quinn shared, “I love the creative outlet and to help the next generation grow into successful members of society.”
That focus on society over stardom is what sets Quinn apart. While she has helmed massive technical feats, like renting a 40-foot turntable from San Diego’s Globe Theatre for the 2006 production of Les Misérables, her true pride lies in the character of her students.
“I’m a realist,” Quinn says of her legacy, “I hope that my students will be more productive in their careers than they would have been otherwise. I have had a few students come back and tell me that they use my leadership qualities and techniques in their jobs as managers. I love hearing this feedback! What I say to my students is: “I don’t want you to just do well on the job interview and get the job…I want you to get the future promotions and go into management at your future place of work!
Under Quinn’s direction, the theater became a place where permissible failure led to higher-level thinking. She recalls a moment during a live show when a stage door fell off its hinges. Without missing a beat, the student actress improvised, “And our doors keep falling off…”
“Students who are courageous enough to attempt to act on stage need to be flexible when something goes wrong,” Quinn noted.
It is this emotional mentorship, teaching students to stay calm when the door falls off in real life, that Serrano Principal Lisa Hansen says has defined the school’s spirit. “Beverly’s commitment to excellence pushed students to rise to high expectations,” Hansen continued, “Her dedication serves as a reminder of the importance of holding students accountable while guiding them toward a strong final product.”
In a poetic full-circle moment, the person stepping into the Director role next year is someone who knows Quinn’s impact firsthand: former student Chantel Cagle.
Cagle’s history with Quinn goes back to a local melodrama, Curse You, Jack Dalton!, where Quinn actually played Cagle’s mother. “Every scene she would extravagantly exit the stage with an over-the-top, scene-stealing, ‘Ta-ta!’ that solicited a laugh every single time,” Cagle recalled, “She made the experience a lot of fun, so when I had the opportunity to audition for her both outside of school and for her theater class, I never hesitated. That is the impact she has had…and I’m all the better for it.”
Cagle plans to maintain the traditions Quinn established, from the main stage shows to the Rising Star workshops. “Beverly exhibits complete dedication to her craft,” Cagle shared, “Theater is much like a puzzle… even if only one piece is missing, you will never get to see the whole picture. I will strive to emulate making sure each student understands their importance.”
As Quinn prepares for what she calls Act III of her life, a future filled with swimming, scrapbooking, travel, attending live theater, and volunteering at her church, she leaves her students with a final message rooted in Broadway and Shakespeare.
On the last day for seniors, Quinn always shares the lyrics to “For Good” from the musical Wicked. One line, in particular, sums up the mutual bond between the director and her decades of theater kids: Because I knew you, I have been changed for good. “There is a double meaning in that I have been changed “permanently” and I have been changed “for the betterment of the world!” Quinn continued, “I do feel this way about my students, and I hope they reciprocate those feelings towards me.”
To the Tri-Community, Beverly Quinn was a Theater Director. To her students, she was the person who taught them to bravely dance in whatever fashion they choose. Quoting Shakespeare, “To Thine Own Self Be True”, Quinn leaves one final message, “Don’t be afraid of life and what it has to offer!”
We wish Beverly Quinn all the best as she prepares to enter her Act III and beyond!
