By Lauren Becker
Staff Writer
Costa’s Drama/Tech Department held the annual senior scenes on May 23 in the small theater. Each senior was given the opportunity to direct a 10-minute cut from any production.
The scenes took three months of rehearsal, as well as a month for the directors to write scripts and plan. For each scene, the cast members rehearsed about two to three hours a week on average.
“Directing was such a fulfilling and awesome experience,” said senior Ariel Dupin. “I have always loved theater and the details within pieces, and I was very excited to put my own comedy and nuances into my own scene.”
The seniors were allowed to pick any short scene that resonated with them. Some chose musical pieces, while others chose scenes with purely acting. Those who chose to have scenes with dancing had to choreograph on their own.
“I chose “Newsies” because I love the movie,” said senior Ariel Dupin. “The songs are perfect for intense choreography and intricate formations. I was very happy with how my scene turned out.”
As part of their final, the seniors had to manage everything from prepping to directing. The scenes included in the event were “Newsies,” “Rocky Horror,” “The Fake Ruby,” “Waitress,” “The Play That Goes Wrong,” and more.
“Directing was so cool,” said senior Lizzy Fleming. “Coming from someone who usually acts or is in the audience, it completely changed the way I view productions and the whole production process in general.”
It took three months of rehearsal before the show was finally brought to life. Each Advanced Drama senior worked on scenes significant to them. With endless resources, they were able to use their creativity freely.
“I chose the Rocky Horror scene,” said senior Ashley Calza. “It has always resonated with me, and I knew that a lot of people and parents in the audience would see my piece and reminisce on their past.”
Drama seniors challenged their scenes by combining skills they have been practicing their entire drama career. At Mira Costa, each drama student is trained to design, act, direct, and write.
“I have been acting in the Drama Department for all four years of high school,” said Matalee Brown. “Learning from Mr. Westerberg was very helpful in teaching me how to give notes and have a clean piece.”
The cast for each scene was other drama students, and behind the scenes the tech students helped produce. The directors were Ariel Dupin, Matalee Brown, Dean Spurgeon, Ashley Calza, Lia Martini, Kara Canty, Lizzy Fleming, Teddy Glozman, and Jack Searer.
“All of the scenes were remarkable,” said drama student Chloe Estrin. “It was obvious how much all the senior directors cared about their pieces and how much work they put into the performance. Overall, each scene was very good and exciting to watch.”
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