Gail Chase, an experienced educator and theatre extraordinaire, is a comforting soul who is heroic in the way she has devoted her time and energy to high school students. She is a staple in the Lake Nona High School community and is well-loved for her warmth and immense passion for education.
Chase came to us at the same time Lake Nona High School did. She has been teaching there for the past 11 years, starting from the very first year the institution was open, and was drawn to it out of a curiosity toward a school and community built alongside Medical City. She was intrigued to see the Walt Disney World and Universal Studios creatives of the area having creative children that she would potentially have the opportunity to teach. For a drama teacher, it had the perfect appeal.
Chase brought her husband, two kids, and sweet pit mix, Sammy, to Lake Nona after an adult life circulating around Orlando. When she isn’t running her classroom, she travels, reads, watches plays and musicals, paints diamonds, and takes Sammy for walks.
A true hero in a nontraditional sense, this wonderful and humble woman wants to provide a safe and comfortable environment for young adults where they can be free of judgement and focus purely on expression. The arts are a vulnerable practice, and performance is a raw outlet. “My high school theatre was my safe space, and providing that space is why I come to work every single day,” said Chase.
A love for her craft and for kids led her to this career dating back 22 years ago, beginning in various Central Florida public schools and finally arriving in our region. Since then, she has certainly made a name for herself as the instructor and leader of an award-winning theatre company.
Her students feel that she is loyal, silly, nurturing, and fiercely protective. They refer to her as Mama Chase and come to her for guidance, a shoulder to cry on, and, sometimes, for saving – Mrs. Chase opened up to me about being there for a student in a very dark time. The fact that teenagers feel they can rely on their drama teacher for life events and troubles speaks volumes to the amount of love she has for her students on a very human level.
She is dedicated to caring for LNHS students and fostering creativity among them. She humbly attributes the theatre company’s success to those talented performers. “My personal achievements are really my students’ achievements,” she said, the epitome of modesty.
In a brand-new world with COVID-19 that we are all learning to function in, those who face one of the most difficult adaptations are students and teachers. In theatre, the performative component is not easily transmitted over Zoom. Chase has her work cut out for her in learning new digital tools and molding her curriculum around these measures. “My subject is entirely dependent on building ensemble and creating connections, both emotional and physical,” she said. “I am basically a first-year teacher having to learn all of the digital platforms and softwares.”
In the coming school years, Chase’s primary goal is to help her students weather the storm that is this school year with grace and a creative outlet. “If I can do that, then I’ve won,” she said.
As someone referred to me as a hero by multiple people, there is no doubt that Gail Chase will continue to change the lives of her students daily with or without in-person instruction. She will certainly resume her regular routine of producing incredible theatrical work and providing sincere support for every student that has ever passed through her classroom, as she always has.
Photos Courtesy of Gail Chase
