After the success of the Letters to Sala play, the high school theater troupe has already moved on and begun to prepare for their spring musical, Mean Girls. On a recent field trip, drama and Momentum both participated in a dance workshop where they each learned and then performed choreography. For both groups, the choreography wasn’t as much about learning a dance as it was learning how to perform and having a stage presence when you do so.
“I think it was a really fun experience and it was nice to work with the cast, especially all the new freshmen,” said senior Caitie Zilka.
The drama workshop this year was full of an overwhelming amount of freshman drama students, the next generation of theater here at charter. Zilka believes that it’s important for the upperclassmen to connect with them and share their last pieces of advice before they leave and the workshop was the perfect opportunity for them to do that. As drama welcomed in their new wave of actors, Momentum focused more on their dance team and establishing a connection while they danced.
“Although it had some technique, it was a lot more about performing and having a better stage presence so that we learned to focus not just on the technical part of dancing,” said Mya Perciak. While the drama troupe’s experience was much more basic, Momentum already had a background in dance and therefore they were faced with a bigger challenge.
This workshop helped both groups mentally prepare for the musical that is coming up as Momentum also works on the show as a dance group. With many excited for the upcoming Mean Girls musical, Mrs. Butler talks about how the workshop itself was not just a means to prepare for the musical but also a way for the actors to get to know each other and become comfortable before working on set.
“It’s a way to prepare for it and it’s a way to get you guys to kind of bond before you’re going to be together for weeks and weeks and weeks and weeks at a time,” said High School Drama teacher Mrs Butler.
The Disney workshop was a great break from the busy schedule that follows the fine arts department, but it was also a way to prepare and excite the future cast of the Mean Girls Musical.
“I’m really excited for this musical and I really like the workshop and while I do think the dance is hard, it allows for the cast to bond,” said Mrs Butler.