A Decade of Unity Theatre

In June of 2016, what would become one of the most impactful programs at Unity Christian School almost didn’t begin at all.

As Sumer Rooke prepared her resume, she nearly left off a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theater with a minor in Voice. “What would I do with that,” she remembers thinking, “sing around the halls?” At her husband Ben’s encouragement, she included it anyway, unaware that one small decision would help shape the next decade of Unity.

During her interview, former Headmaster Mr. Munn noticed her background and asked a simple question: would she consider starting a theater program?

Her answer came quickly.

“No.”

And yet, by God’s design, that “no” would not be the end of the story.

What began as a willingness to help quickly became a calling to lead. With little more than a single class, a bag of props, and a handful of students, Unity’s theater program took its first steps. There was no roadmap, no fully built stage, and no guarantee of what it could become, only a quiet obedience and a growing sense that something bigger was unfolding.

Ten years later, that small beginning has grown into something far greater than anyone could have imagined. Today, more than 130 alumni and over 100 current students, from elementary through high school, are part of a program that has become a cornerstone of the Unity experience. What once was an idea is now a legacy.

At the center of this year’s production, Looking Back, is more than a celebration of performances, it is a reflection of purpose. “As students began to sing and perform, it became clear there was a need,” Rooke shared. “A place where creatively gifted students, those whose strengths may not lie in athletics or traditional academics, could develop and share their talents.”

That place became more than a stage. It became a space where students found their voices, not just in song, but in confidence, identity, and calling. A place where friendships were formed, stories were told, and lives were shaped. A place where the arts were not just performed, but used as a platform to reflect something greater.

It is a place where students learn to tell their stories, and ultimately reflect His story through their lives.

This year’s musical review brings that story full circle. Looking Back reunites past and present, alumni returning to the stage alongside current students, each one representing a different chapter of the program’s history. For those who once stood under the lights, their return is more than nostalgic, it is a reminder that what was built here continues far beyond graduation.

“The music you made here still echoes,” Rooke writes, “carried forward by the students who now stand where you once stood.”

For current students, the message is just as powerful. “You are part of something enduring,” she tells them. “Every note you sing adds to a legacy.” And that legacy is not defined by performances alone, but by something deeper, something eternal.

Because at its core, Unity’s theater program has always been about more than the stage. It is about using the gifts God has given to make His name known.

Rooke says, “Whether you sang here ten years ago or you are performing tonight for the first time, we are united… sharing the same love for Jesus Christ and making His name known through the arts.”

Ten years in, one thing is clear: this is not just a program that was built. It is a calling that was answered. And as the curtain rises on the next chapter, the story is still being written.