The Starting Post

We've only been back for one week, but what a week it's been!

Actors & Techies & Directors - oh my! 

Annie, Nick, Sparky, Storm, Jack, Skyler and Ms. Hamlyn spend a few hours catching up on Registration day. 

Photo by Scott Nichols.

We held auditions and cast Antigone: It was exciting to discover so many promising new actors!

Antigone • Mallory Thompson               Ismene •  Vicky Alejandro

Creon •  Jack Gilliat                                  Teiresias •  Tinnie Wu

Haemon • Nick Pankratz                         Guard •  Anthony Palacio

Messenger • Marcus Baldwin                Eurydice • Alicia Y Zheng

Chorus leader • Anni-Ming larson

Chorus: Vincent Law • Shaun Mazzio • Tim Scola • Jaclyn Kinney

Amelia Barbee • Alexis Helgeson • Akua McLeod • Laurel Newman

Stage Manager • Alicia Y Zheng

Tech Crew

Sparkey Trombley • Storm Sprague •

Alessandra Rigo de righi • Keely Marquez

Freshmen Akua and Amelia call upon the muses for inspiration during a rehearsal for Antigone. Alexis checks her phone to see if they've sent a text.

The Arts faculty had their first department meeting:

It's business as usual for Mr. Maffris, Mr. Standlea, Dr. Gilbert, Mrs. Silva, Mr. Champion and Ms. Hamlyn

The WSC and VWS Theater Arts 1-2 classes sign in and make their mark in the Copeland Donahue:

WSC Theater Arts 1-2 A Block. What a way to start the year!

VWS Theater Arts 1-2 F block. Fun times ahead!

A week before classes started, theater tech director Alex Valdez painted the walls and floor of the Copeland Donahue in order to make our "Black Box" nice and black again. He also coated part of the wall with chalkboard paint so we could scribble on the walls with abandon!

Oh dear. The second day of class and the boys are still so reluctant to express themselves!

Meanwhile, down in the Art Room...

The students get busy sketching the objects of their desire.

So near and yet so far: An Ode to Donut Holes. I understand the kindly Mr. Standlea brought a few to snack on as well. 

This week, TGIF = Tearful Goodbye Imposing Fig

Friday morning we arrived at Lower Jackson to discover that Webb's fig tree had fallen in front of our office door 

The entire community mourned the loss of this lovely tree (I'm sure the fig-loving squirrels did too!)

Things were much more orderly inside:

Daniel Zhu spends some quality time practicing the piano during Fine Arts Lab.   

As an end-of-the-week treat, a few of us hopped into a van and went to see Little Shop of Horrors at the Glendale Centre Theatre! Actors and techies got to see the show for the first time, while technical director Alex Valdez and I scoped out ideas for lighting, sets and props. We were all excited to see how the "Audrey 2" puppets worked!

Jack, Vicky, Mallory, Landen, Jaclyn, Lauren and Michelle settle in to watch the show.

The group jump at the chance to get on the stage for a photo op. 

After seeing the show, Jack, Vicky and Mallory express their excitement about our upcoming production of Little Shop of Horrors - coming to the Copeland Donahue in May.

It is a tradition to have members of the Chamber Singers sing our National Anthem at sporting events. Karina kicked off the season Saturday night before the football game against Riverside Prep.

Scott Wishek looks on as Karina sings "The Star-Spangled Banner" before the first football game of the year. Webb won 33-0. We like to think that Karina's singing helped inspire the team!

Back in the black box, during one of his few moments offstage, Jack wrote a creation myth about a fabulous and unique group of people, which he narrates for you here: The illustration is by our resident techie-artist, Storm.

After all that - what next? Well, rehearsals for Antigone continue apace, the studio is becoming a home for our budding artists, the after school dance program is enjoying their new, mirror-lined rehearsal room and Lower Jackson is alive with the sound of choral and instrumental music. Here's to an inspired and creative September!