Milford students find their footing and their futures through theater

By the time the lights came up on “The Shawshank Redemption” at Milford High School, the students had already done far more than memorize lines and learn blocking. Their preparation came together in a production that transported audiences inside Shawshank Prison. Yet the work behind the scenes offered another story: young people learning how to prepare, collaborate and lead when the stakes feel high and the clock is running out. The finished production also found a strong audience. At the end of the run, director and educator David Derringer confirmed that all originally scheduled performances of The Shawshank Redemption had sold out, along with the added Halloween matinee. During tech rehearsals, Derringer seemed unconcerned about the show’s mature content and audiences seemed equally unbothered, as evidenced by the popularity. Behind the production was a deliberate emphasis on student ownership. Derringer gave the students freedom to shape the show themselves. While the cas