As the new drama director at Warde, Ms. Mateen isn’t planning to overhaul the program. Instead, her focus is on improving and expanding it. By “keeping what has been” while fostering growth, she aims to make the drama department a lasting pillar of the school’s community. “I don’t know how long I’ll be here—I plan to stay until I retire—but who knows what life brings,” she says. “I want this program to be bigger, stronger, and leave a lasting legacy.”
Central to Ms. Mateen’s approach is collaboration. Reflecting on her work directing the fall play, The Comedy of Errors, she emphasized the challenges of tackling Shakespeare. Yet, she found the process rewarding through open dialogue with the cast. “I have my ideas and vision, but I want to involve my cast in the conversation,” she explains. By encouraging feedback during rehearsals, Ms. Mateen was able to refine scenes collaboratively. “The cast would suggest things, and we’d try them out. I’d say, ‘I don’t love this part, but I do like that,’ and we’d build on it. Even though I was directing, it felt like we were creating the production together.”
This inclusive philosophy extends beyond the stage. Ms. Mateen envisions a drama program that draws on the talents of students across the school. “I’d love to involve art students for set design and painting,” she says, noting how their creativity could elevate the visual impact of productions. Similarly, she sees opportunities for graphic design students to craft promotional materials, from posters to buttons. By collaborating with other departments, she hopes to make each production a school-wide effort.
Ms. Mateen is also thinking long-term, focusing on inspiring future generations. “I’d love to invite middle and elementary school students to our productions,” she says. “Eventually, they’ll either be here or somewhere else, but seeing older students perform can help them picture themselves on stage one day.”
She places a strong emphasis on community involvement, particularly with parents. “Parents get to see their kids perform, and younger siblings get a taste of what they can look forward to in high school,” she says. Beyond that, Ms. Mateen is working to forge partnerships with local businesses and other school departments to sustain and grow the program. “It’s my first year as director, and there’s been a learning curve,” she admits. “But I’m already reaching out to see how we can work together to make this program thrive.”
Looking ahead, Ms. Mateen’s ambitions for the drama department are as bold as they are inspiring. “If we could win some awards, that’d be amazing,” she says with a smile. “But more than that, I want the program to grow—to have a bigger budget so we can take on even more ambitious productions. Maybe one day we’ll do something like Phantom of the Opera, with the chandelier coming down and everything! It’s a dream, but it’s the kind of goal worth working toward.”
By championing collaboration, inclusion, and long-term growth, Ms. Mateen is laying the foundation for a drama program that will thrive well into the future. “I want this program to be stronger, bigger, and to leave a lasting legacy—something that outlasts me.”