How an ETF Grant Reignited a Legacy at Hickory High School
When Jillian Batchelor stepped on stage as Molly Brown in during her senior year at Hickory High School, she had no idea the character would be the start of a 25-year journey that took her from Thespian to educator, succeeding her own director from the original production, and helping guide a new generation of Thespians. However, thanks to The Unsinkable Molly Brown Grant from the Educational Theatre Foundation (ETF), The Music Man Foundation (TMMF) and Music Theatre International (MTI), that’s exactly where she found herself at the end of the 2025 school year.
As one of 16 programs awarded the grant in 2025, the school received a $10,000 grant to support licensing and production expenses, and in the case of Batchelor, an opportunity to bring the experience full circle.
ETF chatted with her to learn more about the production and how it’s become a celebration of legacy, a catalyst for growth, and a symbol for what’s possible when access meets opportunity.
A Legacy Reimagined
The connection to Molly Brown runs deep at Hickory High. The 2000 production of The Unsinkable Molly Brown was the first musical ever staged at the school, and at the time, Batchelor, then a senior, played the titular role under the direction of Marla Wood. Fast forward to 2025: Wood is retiring, and Batchelor, now her co-director, is stepping into her shoes and taking over the program.
“I kind of loved the fact that my first show with [Wood] was also going to be my last show with her before I took over the program,” Batchelor said. “It just felt meant to be.” Beyond the poetic nature of the opportunity, it was the updates to the show, written by Tony nominee Dick Scanlan, that became a driving point in applying for the grant.
“When I read the script, even before I applied for the grant, I just loved how it was more historically accurate,” she said. “Molly really was meant to be this intense, headstrong woman who was not going to let anything stop her from doing what she wanted. The word ‘unsinkable’ took a whole different meaning.”
Student Growth Through Storytelling
These changes were also a hit with students. While many were already familiar with the original version of the show as it’s become a part of the Drama I curriculum, the updated story, with its broader cultural representation and stronger themes of activism and empowerment, offered something more.
“Once they read it and saw it wasn’t just a love story and there were all these aspects of history Molly had her hand in, it really became so much more multidimensional to see where she came from, where she ended up, and just how much of a difference she made in our history,” Batchelor said.
That sense of discovery extended into every corner of the production, with students suggesting costume pieces, hunting down period-appropriate props, and researching Denver high society and the stories of the very real miners who populated the story. One student even asked about whether the Statue of Liberty would’ve been green in 1912. “I love when the students have ideas and they’ve done the research, and they can back it up and say, ‘It should really be done this way.’”
For Batchelor, the experience also turned into a mentorship opportunity with her current Molly. “It was really wonderful to be able to talk to someone about Molly who knew just as much as I did,” she said. “Allison [Molly] and I had lots of conversations about the character and not only how [the two versions] were different, but how she evolved to fit this generation, especially in terms of immigration and social activism. It was really cool, and I feel the kids thought the show they were performing meant something.”
A Community Reunited
The production didn’t just empower the cast to explore new skills, either. It also brought together an entire community. As part of the performance, former students who appeared in the original 2000 production also returned, helping sew costumes, support from the audience, and in some cases, reprise their roles and act in the ensemble.
“We had a little bit where the alumni danced and feigned like we were getting older and had to hobble off the stage,” she said. “It was connecting to the past, but then also showing that we can honor the past and pave the way for the future at the same time. It really became a community of people rather than just an ensemble.”
Additionally, the impact extended beyond the theatre department, with the school’s culinary students preparing a dinner for the cast and crew, along with representatives from ETF, MTI, and TMMF, who visited during dress rehearsals, engaging students in meaningful conversations about their process, growth, and aspirations.
The Lasting Impact
While Hickory High’s production of The Unsinkable Molly Brown marks the end of an era for Batchelor and Wood, it’s also the start of an exciting new chapter for the program.
“The lasting impact of the grant at Hickory High School reflects exactly what this program aims to achieve. We were fortunate to partner with The Music Man Foundation and MTI to support these schools,” said Janie Slavens, Director of ETF. “Molly’s story reminds us to ‘share the luck’—a lesson beautifully embodied through the partnerships that made this grant possible.”
With the funding, the school was able to purchase a cyclorama and launch a successful DonorsChoose campaign for a high-quality projector. While the tech didn’t arrive in time for Molly, it’s already shaping plans for the upcoming season.
“We’re finally in the 21st Century,” Batchelor said. “Our tech kids get to take on new roles, and it also opens the doors for them to have that experience…but really without the grant, that wouldn’t have happened at all.”
When asked what she’d say to other educators considering applying for a similar grant, Batchelor’s advice to other educators is simple: “Just do it.”
“The application process is easy compared to the payoff,” she said. “Even if you don’t get it, you were going to do a show anyway. But if you do get it, it can change everything.”