When Szentes is mentioned, most people think of the actors, musicians, directors, and performers who once sat in the local high school classrooms and learned the foundations of the arts in the drama track—or as we locals say, they were “drama students.” As part of our Cultural Day program, we attended performances by the current classes on the open-air stage of the County Hall. These performances, full of youthful energy, sometimes playful teenage cheek, and abundant meaning, held up a mirror to contemporary society and explored different facets of the human soul.
At the heart of the plays were important questions such as the reasons behind lies or the expected patterns of human behavior in the event of a global collapse. Would a newly built civilization resemble the current one? Would leaders and the led organize in the same way? Do we have to lie to get ahead in life? How do the human mind and soul relate to these concepts in the pursuit of power? The drama students—sometimes delivering truly dramatic effects—explored these themes and invited the audience to reflect. It was particularly authentic for our young participants that their peers conveyed these messages from the stage.
—Sándor Kovács, mentor, Szentes Group 1
“Today, during our Cultural Day, we participated in a truly ‘Szentes’ program, watching performances organized by the high school students. The first performance was profound and reflected the personality of people today: the lies, deceptions in everyday life, and the influence over others. What I liked about it was that it really depicted how easily people can be influenced and how easily they can lie. In the second performance, we could observe what would happen if we were not being controlled in the world—how much we need to watch over, protect, and help each other. The story showed how envious we can be of others if they have what we do not, and what actions that envy can drive us to.”
—Lotti Berkecz, Szentes Group 1
“My personal favorite was the performance by the 12th-grade students. The play highlighted the significant impact of modern technology—and the lack of it—on our daily lives. During a power outage, the play created an almost apocalyptic atmosphere. The enthusiastic students put their hearts and souls into the acting, making the performance extremely enjoyable. Overall, it was a very interesting and exciting program.”
—Balázs Nagy, Szentes Group 2
