Last night the Hoboken High School Theater Program put on an encore performance of Anna Deavere Smith's play "Fires in the Mirror". The performance by these High School actors and actresses was brilliant. There were many fine performances but Sam Olmeda's rendition of The Reverend Al Sharpton to me was one of the many fine highlights of the show. Also included at the end of the video are photo stills of the play I took without using flash. 
Dear Friends:
I’m sorry that I cannot be with you as you celebrate the encore performance of Fires in the Mirror.
Hoboken has been justifiably proud of its high school’s award-winning theater program for many years, but this extremely challenging and powerful play is something unique: You have been able to bring together art, education and the people of your city to offer a new perspective on the crucial issues surrounding diversity and discrimination. That is a very important message for everyone in these challenging and difficult times.
As a fellow resident of Hudson County, I am proud to offer my congratulations to Theater Arts Director Paula Ohaus, all of the student actors and all of you who braved the snow to be part of this quintessentially-Hoboken community event tonight.
Sincerely,
Bret Schundler
Commissioner-Designate
New Jersey Department of Education
Also, Paula Ohaus' text from the closing when thanking Mayor Zimmer included when she said about the Mayor that she:
"Recognized last December how this performance epitomizes public education’s role of teaching within the entire community. Every day at this high school, our students are working to become vital members of this community. Any school activity be it athletics, musical performance, performing arts, educational trips – all of these demonstrate how being involved in good activities makes them good citizens now and (as we say in the theatre) forevermore. Thank you, Mayor, for your support and understanding."
Paula Ohaus' official title in the school district is Coordinator of the Theatre Arts Program. For Fires in the Mirror, she was the show director as well.
25 students had speaking roles, and another 12 students worked backstage on lighting, sets, costumes, projection, and scenery. The program emphasizes not only learning how to act on stage, but also how to contribute in all the theatrical crafts. ◦
