Fill the Stage

Daniel Dignan

Fill The Stage

“Character is Destiny”

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The Wind in the Willows

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Mr. Rat, Mr. Mole, Mr. Badger, and Mr. Toad enjoy country life, boating on a river, friendship, home, and good conversation. However, Mr. Toad’s self-conceit and visions of grandeur interrupt the peace and tranquility. Failing to manage his estate and wasting resources on obsessions, his friends try to make him settle down. But they are thwarted by Toad’s indomitable spirit and desire for high adventure. Trials, tribulations, a divine encounter, a narrow escape, and a final tussle await.

This is a kind of retelling of Homer’s Odyssey, though the storyworld and plot are, I believe, unique. Readers experience the beauty and wonder of nature, the effect of good company, the importance of preparation, the value of wisdom, the peace and joy of purpose fulfilled, and so much more.

Lastly, the stop-motion animated films are quite good. Amazon hosts the film version of the book.

The Scarlet Pimpernel

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Daring adventures, sword-fighting encounters, dangerous villains, virtuous heroes, and stirring romance – all memorably packaged in the twists and turns of each page composing The Scarlet Pimpernel. With its thrilling plot, succinct chapters, and substantive character arcs, this short novel could spark a love of reading in any high schooler and deepen the passion for books in those seeking their next engaging story.

Nestled within the context of the French Revolution, the storyline follows an English hero who bravely saves French aristocrats from the ravenous guillotine. Yet, the plot adds complexity when this hero must weave in and out of evil men seeking to capture him, a family that misperceives his true identity, and a yearning to protect those closest to him, even as he feels betrayed by them. In addition, each chapter averages about nine pages (in my copy, at least), making this an excellent work to focus on, a chapter per sitting. So, if you’re looking for a thrilling plot that is a manageable amount of reading for a novel, The Scarlet Pimpernel will be a phenomenal purchase for your student’s library.

White House America 250

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In partnership with Hillsdale College and PragerU, the White House has been publishing videos that tell the story of America and videos of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.

Story of America playlist:

The Signers playlist:

I particularly enjoyed “The Shot Heard Round the World”: The Battles of Lexington and Concord.

I also enjoyed The Signer videos on John Witherspoon, Martha Washington, John Hancock, and Thomas Nelson, Jr.

Let me know what you think at info@fillthestage.com!

2026 Announcement

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I’m making some changes.

  1. MovingShip.com will be titled FillTheStage.com.
  2. FillTheStage.com will become FillTheStageMiddleSchool.com.
  3. FillTheStageHighSchool.com will remain the same.

FillTheStage communicates what I’m currently offering: Opportunities and experiences that help students grow in character, courage, and competence.

This year, I plan to continue publishing short articles on opportunities (generally once a week), offer book clubs (currently for middle school students), and post videos. The videos will show opportunities, including internships for high school students, and how to pursue them.

Happy New Year!

Daniel A. Dignan

P.S. – I enjoy hearing from parents! Please feel free to drop a line via info@fillthestage.com.

National Civics Bee

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If you have a son or daughter who is particularly interested in American civics, government, and history, consider this National Civics Bee competition. Sixth, seventh, and eighth-grade students have until February 3rd to submit an essay on a local opportunity or problem and how to address it. Winners are selected for regional, state, and national competitions, as well as cash prizes.

This guide explains the essay requirements and judging criteria. The essay is short, but it does require some thought because the judges are looking for real opportunities and solutions. Here is the application portal for submitting essays.

Students selected for higher competition undergo a civics test and further questioning about their essays.

Lastly, you can find more information and important dates for the competition in the Educator’s Guide.

God’s Big Picture

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The Bible contains 66 books that all contribute toward a single story. Just as reading the parts of a story is essential for understanding the whole, knowing the whole is necessary for understanding the parts.

Vaughn Roberts, pastor of St. Ebbe’s in Oxford, England, helps readers understand the Bible’s story and theme: the promised and coming kingdom of God. Roberts shows how God’s kingdom is progressively revealed through the Bible. And he provides a helpful definition of the kingdom of God as “God’s people in God’s place under God’s rule and blessing.”

Genesis (the Bible’s first book) reveals major events: God’s creation of the universe, the fall of man, and God’s promise to Abraham of a kingdom to come. The rest of the Old Testament reveals a partial fulfillment during the reign of King David and King Solomon, followed by a collapse when Babylon destroyed Jerusalem in 586 BC. But the New Testament, in the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, reveals the coming of the King who proclaimed his kingdom, died, and rose again to save all who believe in him. Promising to return again, he will reign over a perfected kingdom.

Well, so what? Knowing the Bible’s overarching story helps us understand the Bible’s books, God’s good news, and our own stories. In its light, we can understand what God wants us to know about his universe, what he has done, is doing, and will do, and how we should live.

Roberts quotes Psalm 95:3-7, which reveals that the Ultimate Being is both creator and King, and that man finds purpose and peace in devotion to Him.

“For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are his also. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker! For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.”

If you read the book, let me know what interested you the most and why.

“…good news of great joy…”

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In A Charlie Brown Christmas, Linus explains the meaning of Christmas.

“The people who have walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone…For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore.” (Isaiah 9, English Standard Bible (ESV))

“Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” (Luke 2, ESV)

God became a man: Jesus of Nazareth. The Bible reveals him to be the Messiah and the promised King. He came as a Savior, and he is coming again as King. The four gospels — Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John — tell what he said and did from four slightly different perspectives.

Merry Christmas!

The Fourth Wise Man

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This Christmas season, I want to share one of my favorite Christmas movies. Like me, you have probably watched Miracle on 34th Street, A Christmas Carol (1951) starring Alastair Sim, and It’s a Wonderful Life. They are classics and fun to watch.  You may have also enjoyed The Snowman, How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966), Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964), and The Polar Express. They spark good memories and holiday cheer.

The Christmas film I want to share takes viewers back to the first Christmas and helps us imagine what it was like from the magi’s perspective. The magi were Persian kings-astrologers seeking heavenly signs of a coming king. The Fourth Wise Man follows a particular magus who never made it to the manger in Bethlehem, but endeavors to find the child. It’s a moving tale that offers a glimpse of the meaning and joy of Christmas.

Christmas is truly a time of joy and celebration. I’m reminded of Charles Dickens’ character Mr. Fezziwig in A Christmas Carol; his Christmas party was so grand and happy that guests had the time of their lives. But the secret of Mr. Fezziwig was not his money or the glamor or the building or the business; it was a heart enlarged by the truth and joy of Christmas.

When paired with the Bible’s story of Christmas in texts such as Isaiah 9 and Luke 2, movies like The Fourth Wise Man can help us get closer to that kind of celebration.

If you watch the movie, I’d love to hear what you thought of it.

Anne of Avonlea

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Anne of Green Gables is about an adopted red-headed girl, about 11 years old, with heroic character traits. Her towering imagination, kindness, love of life, and the captivating story world made this book an all-time bestseller. The second book in the series, Anne of Avonlea, is a worthy sequel. Anne, about 17, fills the stage as a teacher, having given up college to help her adopted mother. The reader follows her efforts and sometimes delusional thinking as she inspires her pupils to become all they can be, but challenges await her in and outside the classroom.

This story features many learning opportunities for young readers. The author was a genius at crafting compelling chapters that delight and contain meaningful dialogue, making the scenes nearly irresistible. As Anne helps her neighbors and pupils, we see her slowly maturing into womanhood through a deepening understanding of what is genuinely true and good.

Some memorable scenes include her befriending an irate neighbor after her cow partially ruined his crops, her love for a young pupil who struggles after his mother’s death, and a new friendship with a woman who grieves over an early romance gone wrong.

The author brilliantly reveals the outworking of true religion, the purpose of education, and the realities and goodness of love and romance.

The British Are Coming

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America’s 250th birthday is fast approaching, making this an excellent opportunity for students to learn about America’s founding. Rick Atkinson’s The British Are Coming: Young Readers Edition is a fast-paced and engaging read. It’s adapted from the author’s three-volume series on America’s Revolutionary War.

Not only does Mr. Atkinson bring to life fascinating details about General George Washington and Revolutionary War battles, but he also tells a moving story. A former Washington Post senior editor, Mr. Atkinson has become a premier military historian, winning a Pulitzer Prize for An Army At Dawn, one of the books in his celebrated World War II trilogy.

The book covers some of the events that led to America’s War for Independence, the first two years of the war (1775-1777), and the first campaigns in Massachusetts, Canada, New York, and New Jersey. Events include the midnight ride of Paul Revere, the first shots in Concord and Lexington, the Battle of Bunker Hill, the Battle of Long Island, and the Battle of Trenton, which includes the famous crossing of the Delaware River on Christmas Day.

Readers learn something about the views of both sides through firsthand accounts and correspondence of King George III and others. They gain awareness of both the brutal and civil aspects of the war, including an early attempt to end it in a meeting between Benjamin Franklin and British Admiral Lord Richard Howe.

Overall, the author underlines the price of freedom, the suffering and sacrifice of civilians, and the fact that many young men died.

The book might spur students to read more history about America and the West: a worthwhile outcome.

Finally, the battles described in the book are enlivened by numerous pictures and excellent maps that depict geography, towns, troop movements, and maneuvers, adding much to this educational experience.