Talent, Preparation, and Drama

Last week on May 6, the Performing Arts Center hosted the 6th annual Drama Showcase. The showcase featured a multitude of performances by drama students in the Performing Arts Academy including monologues, scenes, and musical theater numbers from popular plays and films.

“The goal is to give students the experience of performing on a stage in front of an audience and sharing their work,” says Mrs. Volpe, head of the Drama Program. “Students in Drama Club are also given an opportunity to submit performances that they developed after school.”

Students have been working on their showcase scenes throughout the entirety of the school year, guaranteeing show-stopping performances that were meticulous in every aspect of planning and performing.

Levi Palma, a junior in the Drama Program, started planning his eye-catching performance of “This Is the Moment,” from the musical Jekyll and Hyde, by thinking about what he should wear.

“I prepared for the showcase by first thinking about what outfits would fit best for the character I was portraying,” said Palma. “And then practicing like singing and moving.”

Being Palma’s first drama showcase, he had some doubts; but, overall, he considered his performance a success.

“I’ve never had a drama showcase before,” said Palma, “but for my first one I’d say I’m doing quite well.”

While the showcase featured first-time performers in the showcase who were anxious about performing live on stage, seasoned performers in the academy also faced many challenges they had to overcome.

Despite preparing for countless performances, Drama senior Simon Vasquez still had challenges in how to plan for the two performances he would be undertaking: a monologue called “A Picasso,” and a musical performance of “Waiting on a Miracle,” from the movie Encanto.

“The challenges in preparing for the drama showcase were mostly trying to get my outfits together,” said Vasquez, “and making sure I had everything memorized that needed to get memorized.”

For seniors like Vasquez, who have made countless memories in the Drama Program, this last showcase was bittersweet.

“I’m going to miss being on stage and performing in general, my friends in stage crew being supportive after performances, and everyone else in the show overall,” said Vasquez, “It’s a pretty great experience to perform, and I’ll miss everything about it.”

While this was the final bow for seniors, the future brings with it new exciting talent that will keep the Performing Arts showcases thriving at ACIT for years to come.