The North Hollywood Drama Club is hosting a series of mini-productions in the upcoming month.
They plan to play La La Land, Legally Blonde, Hadestown, Mamma Mia!, and even a rendition of Taylor Swift’s 2017 album Reputation.
They held auditions for students to participate in the differing shows. Hadestown and La La Land held auditions in April over Zoom, and auditions for Mamma Mia! were held in Ms. Buccolo’s room.
These plays are part of a student works festival that allows students to create and direct their shows. The rule for the festival was that they had to be at least 10 minutes long.
The original announcement for the students’ work festival was in March on the drama club’s Instagram and called for students who wanted to direct plays and those who wanted to audition for the plays.
Mia Gonzalez, a senior, is directing and starring in a solo poetry act with a song corresponding to the poem which she wrote.
When asked how she felt directing and starring in a solo play, she stated, “It feels a bit nerve wracking because I’m by myself performing.”
She continued, “I like to put myself in uncomfortable situations to get me out of my shell, because of that I’ve had so many amazing opportunities.”
The students work festival is a totally new experience here at NHHS. While last year there was a Broadway production (NoHo on Broadway), that mainly featured music, the student work festival will feature a variety of acts that feature student written pieces, in addition to performances that include songs from musicals.
Another notable change is that rather than only having one director, the festival is a compilation of works being directed by individual students.
Oscar Kohler-Johnson, assistant director of Mean Girls, said, “Right now we’re in the early stages, admittedly. I know Jamie, our director, put together the songs and chose them, then the decision was how we were going to present it.”
He continued, “The creative process so far has been, how are we going to present this piece of art in a very different medium?”
The date for the playground is set for May 30th and May 31st. On the 30th and 31st, they will have a show that begins at 6:30, and it will run for an hour. They will have concessions, and it is all a fundraiser for drama club.
When asked about how it has been seeing the production come to fruition, Ms. Buccolo said, “It’s been really interesting to see what different students are doing. It’s been nice to see some members of drama club be able to step up and try their hand at choreography, try their hand at musical direction. It’s been really cool to see some of the students in theater class, who weren’t necessarily in the productions or anything like that, be pushed to be more creative and in working with them, start to create things that are really unique, and they’re having fun. That’s been great for me to see that.”
Johnson-Kohler added, “Because there are so many sub parts to this it gives everyone a chance to be a part of it, and join in. Since they’re short, everyone gets a moment in the spotlight.”
Ms. Buccolo encourages students to participate, saying, “Come on out! Support the students, sign up for theater class, join drama club. Help us keep this program alive.”
