MSMS students present award-winning live performance
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – For more than 30 years, Columbus’s Spring Pilgrimage has included a history project for students at the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science.
Tales From the Crypt introduces visitors to some of the city’s former residents in a unique way.
Students said Tales from the Crypt is where history comes to life.
Months of research and hard work have gone into tonight’s performances as these students bring new life to those buried here.
For the past 35 years it has been one of the biggest draws on the Columbus Spring Pilgrimage.
But it isn’t one of the stately Antebellum mansions. Instead, it’s the final “home” for many of the city’s residents from all walks of life.
Tales From the Crypt began as a way for History students at the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science to learn how to do research.
Now, it’s a Pilgrimage tradition.
“I was born and raised in Columbus, so I’ve always been to Tales from the Crypt a couple of times,” Vincent Young said. “Once I got here, I’ve always wanted to take this class and do the event cause I always thought it was amazing.”
The work starts at the beginning of the school year when students choose a person buried in Columbus’s historic Friendship Cemetery.
They will spend months combing through records at the library and other sources.
They use that research to create a life story of their subject, which becomes a script for a performance where they will portray that person where they are laid to rest.
MSMS History teacher Chuck Yarborough directed the research and the performance.
He said every year it’s unique and compelling.
“I’m so proud of my students, they put in the work in research and writing in the fall semester and in early spring semester,” Yarborough said. “Then, they put in the work learning how to become competent presenters and performers and guests at the cemetery are going to see a real treat.”
The Award-winning project been featured in national publications like the Atlantic magazine and the New York Times.
The students involved said the process for bringing their subjects to life is the learning experience of a lifetime.
“I feel really accomplished, just seeing all of the fruits of my labor being shown to everyone who’s interested,” Althea Wells said.
“Mine just so happened to be a W alum so I got to go to the archives at the Fant library and get my person’s past records,” Yarborough said. “She wrote a book that I got to read and it was really cool, I got to look at her in the W’s yearbook and researching was definitely really fun.”
All the proceeds from the performance, go to local charitable causes.
Yarborough said over the past few years they have been able to donate more than $50,000.
Students performances takes place April 2, 4, 9, and 11.
