BY ANNABELLE ROSA*
On April 12, the CCHS Thespians will be performing their second showcase of the year. Their first showcase, which took place in January, was titled “The Greatest Showcase,” a pun that references the movie “The Greatest Showman” and highlighted many of the performances that students brought to this year’s district competition. Some of these performances also ranked superior at the districts, including the Rylee Berger and Paige Hittenberger acting piece that went on to receive a superior at the state competition.
The initial performances will depict significant moments in time with the students of Director Aaron Barton’s Acting I classes, including skits that contextualize historical periods such as the Cold War. This showcase is also meant to exhibit future acts that may be used for next year’s district competition while still highlighting significant moments in history.
“The Spring Showcase is actually serving two purposes,” sophomore and club president Rylee Berger said. “It shows all the talent we have in the club with a select group of pieces that were auditioned in late March. Secondly, the Acting I students are using it as their performance for the end of the year and have written and staged skits that related to a moment in time.”
Barton and a team of students are the creative team behind this presentation. Berger is the show’s stage manager, freshman and incoming Vice President Rachel Goldberg is the show’s assistant stage manager, freshman Nicholas Ibanez is the show’s student director and sophomore Katie Behr is one of the show’s assistant stage managers. The show involves a number of dances, one of which is a dance which accompanies the song “Never Enough” from “The Greatest Showman,” performed by Adriana Arosemena. This piece was choreographed by senior Flynn Almirol.
“Students should expect to see a wide variety of material and performances,” Berger said. “They range from comedic to dramatic, well known musical numbers to skits and even a song from a popular movie musical. They can also expect to see lots of high energy and devoted performers.”
Some of the acts students can expect to see are the following:
- Selene and Veronica – I Can’t Stop Singing (Teen Beach Movie)
- Victoria and Co. – Show Off (Drowsy Chaperone)
- Olivia Vera, Gaby Philips, Hailey – She Used to Be Mine (Waitress)
- Choreography by Donna Nesolroth
- Olivia and Gaby Philips – Driver’s Test (Don Zolidis)
- Olivia Vera, Victoria Pera, Allana – The Negative (Waitress)
- Annabelle Rosa – Screw Loose
- Danilo Deluca, Bryan Chicana, Annabelle Rosa, Sabrina Rapoport – Take a Break (Hamilton)
- Will Barringer- Waiting for Life (Once on this Island)
- Alex Garcia, Aaron Fantacone, Amanda – Guy That I Kinda Be Into (BMC)
- Cayla Sullivan and Joania Hernandez- Superboy and the Invisible Girl (Next to Normal)
- Adrianna and Co. – Never Enough (Greatest Showman)
- Kaleb Baharie, Chandler Bristaid, Joania Hernandez and Co. – Cabinet Battle No. 1 (Hamilton)
“My favorite aspect is the fact that people can come in and audition [or] perform a song or spoken piece of their own choice therefore giving everyone a chance at creativity and a chance to express themselves from their heart,” Goldberg said.
Photo by Ryan Sullivan
Disclaimer: The author of this article is a member of the Thespians and is also participating in this particular performance.
