For their spring one act, Theater II at Wylie High School typically would perform A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare. But, with the Varsity Theater already planning to do a Shakespeare play, they decided to make a change and perform Sending Down the Sparrows by Laura Lundgren Smith.
Sending Down the Sparrows is set during WWII in Nazi Germany and focuses on a young boy named Viktor, in the Hitler Youth program, and his younger, mentally handicapped sister, Alina. Viktor visits Alina multiple times throughout the play and has to keep reminding her what their mom always said: God watches over the sparrows, and He watches over them. Alina even sings a short song she remembers that says, “His eyes are on the sparrow, and I know He’s watching me.” Viktor learns later that Hitler had set in motion the extermination of those mentally and physically handicapped, by means of gas chambers. He tries to save her, but it’s too late. The play closes with Alina slowly falling in the chamber, singing the very song she sang with her mother and brother.
While Midsummer was surely missed, the alternative was very impressive. Sending Down the Sparrows, though a difficult topic for many, was a wonderfully made play. The play was so well performed and moving that it brought many to tears. It switched well between very intense moments to soft and tender moments, especially scenes featuring Alina. It had a sad ending but beautiful just the same. This was definitely a welcome change in our theater program.
