Theater students take the stage to honor teacher’s recent death

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Weeks after a high school theater teacher’s death, his students are putting on his final production in his honor.

Students at Bishop Chatard High School are performing “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” this weekend.

Its director, 22-year-old Kyle Guyton, died earlier this month while chaperoning a class trip in Europe.

The students said they were nervous but they wouldn’t have it any other way.

After Guyton’s death, they were given the choice to cancel the play. But the students were adamant that the show must go on. They said it’s what Guyton, or Mr. G as they called him, would have wanted.

“We want to honor his vision,” said Patty Valentine, the director of student crews who was doing her best at trying to fill in some of Guyton’s roles. “Our philosophy from the beginning is everybody wants to do our best as cast, crew, all the staff to implement what Kyle’s vision for the show was.”

Emotions can run high before taking the stage.

“There’s been crying, there’s been smiling, there’s been laughter,” said junior Grace Lundy.

But at Bishop Chatard High School there’s something you can’t see that’s calming those nerves.

“I know that that everything will be alright,” said senior Jenna Graham. “I know that he’s up there watching over the show and making sure that everything’s coming together.”

Theater teacher Kyle Guyton might not physically be there to direct his students as they put on their three night showing of You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown. But as for his spirit? It’s glowing throughout the school.

“We’ve been lighting a candle at every rehearsal that we’ve had for him and I have never not felt his presence,” said Graham.

That candle sits in his director’s chair now at a memorial in the gym. It’s right next to note after note from students thanking him for being their inspiration.

On the shoulders of teenagers that could obviously be tough. But they say support from high schools around the area have given them a boost. Posters from Roncalli High School and Lawrence North High School and others came with notes from students saying “good luck” and “break a leg.”

“People are reaching to us that I would have never thought would have,” said Graham. “We’ve even had other technical directors come in and help us with our tech design.”

“It’s been a rough journey but everybody has just dealt with it beautifully and our theater department is really, we say we’re a family and we’re very strong and in that sense everybody helps one another,” said Valentine.

The help was needed but the driver to finish was Guyton started was always there.

“I miss him but I know he’s still here,” said Graham.

“Kyle would want me to be happy and not mourn his loss but would want me to put on the best show for him so there’s so many things that Kyle would want and we’re trying to make every vision come true with all of our different ideas that we’ve heard from him,” said Lundy.

A memorial fund to help renovate his classroom and continue his legacy is up and running. If you’d like to make a donation, click here.