By Isaac Siegemund-Broka
Staff Writer
The competitive success of Mira Costa’s dramatists is no act.
Every year, the Mira Costa Drama Department attends the Fullerton College Theatre Festival, a competitive drama festival open to all southern California drama departments. More than fifty schools competed in this festival, which took place on March 16 and 17 and featured many of Mira Costa’s budding actors, singers and improvisers.
“The Fullerton festival is such a great experience and it’s an event that our department looks forward to every year,” senior Drama Department President Kendall Busby said.
This year at the festival, the Mira Costa Drama Department performed a 10-minute-long scene from the spring musical, “Fiddler on the Roof,” as well as many individual monologues and student-directed scenes. The technical theatre crew also competed, participating in the “Tech Olympics,” in a series of timed and scored activities revolving around light hanging, knot tying and set changes.
“I was really excited to perform in the show number because I’ve never been in a Mira Costa musical, and they’re so prestigious, so its exciting to get to be a part of such a rich cultural experience,” senior Christina Buckley said. “I was also excited to be in my own scene because I get to be the lead and command the audience’s attention and emotions.”
Two of Mira Costa’s improv teams also performed at Fullerton: Team HaHa… and Team On The Roof. Team HaHa… has a history of doing very well at the Fullerton festival, and had won first place for the past three years. This year, Team Haha… took second while Costa’s Team On The Roof received first place.
“Team Haha… is so fun to work with, and Team On The Roof has such a great dynamic,” senior Comedy Sportz Manager Duncan Gregory said. “Both teams were exceptional to work with.”
Mira Costa was judged very highly at the festival. Both improv teams were awarded and the scene from Fiddler On the Roof received 2nd place in the category of Musical Scenes. In addition, senior Matt McElroy was awarded 3rd place in Graphic Design for his designs for the fall production “You Can’t Take it With You.”
“I am so proud that Mira Costa proved itself in these competitions,” junior Elissa Wells said. “I feel like we really showed what we as a random public school in the bay area can do.”
Students enjoy the Fullerton College Theatre Festival not only as a way to showcase talent, but also as a social experience. Due to the similar drama interests of all attendees, Fullerton participants often make new friends at the festival.
“Fullerton is a chance to meet people from other high schools that are interested in the same things that we Costa kids are,” junior Kathleen Yates said. “Every year I come home from the festival with more friends than when I arrived.”
Mira Costa students also utilize the festival to strengthen their friendships within the Drama Department and to encourage teamwork between the department’s many members.
“It’s such a supportive environment,” junior Sawyer Fuller said. “I always come home with a renewed sense of how people can work together in order to create good art or theater, instead of being competitive to create something where only some people get to shine.”
After its tremendous success this year, the Mira Costa Drama Department is sure to return to the Fullerton College Theatre Festival in years to come.
“The Fullerton festival is so much fun,” senior Stephanie Nerheim said. “I’ve gone every year since my freshman year, and it’s been one of the highlights of my high school experience.”
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