Drama and Chamber Plans New York Trip

by Randyll Wendl, Editor

This spring, El Segundo High School’s Drama and Choir departments plan on taking a trip up to the big stage, where they will see some of Broadway’s greatest musicals, and indulge what is noted as a “dreamland” for the thriving thespian. This place is the bustling and exciting New York City!

After winning the Heritage Festival competition in New Orleans last year, the chamber and choral, directed by Mr. Fritzen, have been given the opportunity to compete in the Heritage Festival of Gold, a very prestigious competition held in New York. Knowing this, drama teacher and director Mrs. Hedeyat has organized this trip so the Drama Department, both the club and class, can take a rather large field trip to the Big Apple as well! There the choir and drama students will have the chance to participate in workshops instructed by professional directors, actors, or trainers. RENT, Gypsy, AIDA, and Broadways latest rendition of Thoroughly Modern Millie are only some of the musicals in New York that the they will get to choose from, because the trip includes at least two shows. Of course, there will be a day set aside for site seeing of the famous city. In the midst of all this the choir will be competing for the chance to sing in the Riverside Cathedral in New York, with the drama students who will be there to support them.

So you may be wondering how all the students going to New York are going to pay for such a costly trip? Well they’ve got it all planned out. Both, choir and drama have put together many different fund-raisers to do through out the year. On October 10^th the choir will host a night of entertainment and desert called “Big Apple or Bust.” At this event you can get all the apple pie you can eat, if you support the fund and buy a $10 ticket from a choir member. The Drama club will be holding numerous events starting with a monthly Coffee House Theatre in the auditorium where coffee donated from the Blue Butterfly will be served and anyone can come and perform a short scene or monologue or even read a poem. On Halloween, drama will have a “Halloween Fright Night” and show a double feature of scary movies later in the night. In November, a Family Rummage Sale is planned where you can find vintage treasures and even donate some of your own personal belongings. Instead of having a car wash, Drama club thought it would be neat to hold a Dance-a-Thon and those who dance could receive pledges, or money, for how ever long they shake their groove thangs. Once again there will be an all school Talent Show in February; Drama club hopes that Romo will strut his stuff this year. And to conclude the year there will be the spring musical, which anyone who likes to sing, dance, act, or just be on stage should audition for. Auditions will be in December.

There are over forty students from drama and choir who will be in effort to raise the amount needed to go on this once-in-a-lifetime trip. Junior Stacy Harvey adds, “I am so thankful for the opportunity to be a part of such a great department that is going to allow me to travel with my drama buddies, and perform with the best and brightest choirs. I hope our fund-raisers will be successful!” Whether you join them at “Halloween Fright Night,” or attend Coffee House Theatre, it will be greatly appreciated if you support the program in any way!