Irene Dempsey Kaufman

Mrs Kaufman taught Drama for many, many years at LW in the old school. Among the 3-4 shows per year she produced and directed were musicals such as Grease, Guys and Dolls, Winnie the Pooh (for which she created all the costumes), Once Upon a Mattress (which prompted a complained to Olympia for a show title that was "too suggestive"), and too many others to recall.

Among Mrs Dempsey's many accomplishment, she, together with Gary Evans (then LW's band teacher), in 1985 directed West Side Story. (YouTube video here) in the Gymnasium of the old High School with an excellent student orchestra, directed by Gary. Please note here that musically and vocally West Side Story is a very challenging show.

She recalls that between Gary and herself they spent the night before opening night hanging theater lights in the Gym. Then after the first weekend of shows all the lights had to come back down for the week of PE classes. And for the 2nd weekend of performances, all of the lights had to go back up.