By Diane Lee
Contributing Writer
The Mira Costa drama students didn’t need to break any legs after winning big at the Fullerton College High School Theatre Festival.
About 70 drama students competed at one of the most well-known drama festivals in California on March 12 and 13, winning four awards.
The students auditioned last December. The advanced drama students and the casts for the musicals “The Apple Tree” and “The Wiz” were required to attend and practice scenes prior to the show.
“For ‘The Wiz’ we practiced for several hours after school in the weeks leading up to Fullerton. We probably practiced for a total of at least 25 hours for ‘The Wiz’ alone,” junior Maria Hanley said.
The drama students won four awards at the Fullerton Festival.
“It’s beyond incredible as a senior. We did so well, and the atmosphere and the energy were great,” senior Ben Silva said.
Mira Costa won several awards, including second and third place for “The Wiz” and “The Apple Tree,” respectively, in the Musical Theatre category; first place for “Team HaHa” in the Theatre Games Improvisation category; and second place for “The Taming of the Shrew” in the Classical Ensemble: Dramatic or Humorous category.
“Going into the finals and placing so much is unheard of. We’ve never done so well. I’m so proud of everybody,” director of the Drama Department Carol Mathews said.
The students started the first day at the festival with the opening ceremony, during which senior Ben Chiewphasa carried the Costa banner. Then the first round of performances began.
“On the first day, all the teams performed every performance. On the second day they performed again in the morning and at about 2 o’clock they released the finalists,” senior Sarah Mitchell said..
Six of the team’s productions advanced to the finals, including all of the winners as well as the team’s performance of “Romeo and Juliet” in the Co-Ed Classical Monologue-Dramatic category and “Come Into the Garden Maud” in the Contemporary Enesemble Dramatic or Humourous category.
“I performed a scene from the ‘Apple Tree.’ It was really cool competing in the finals because the musical category was one of the biggest categories. We performed in a 300-seater theatre and it was a packed house. It was really surreal and also really fun,” Mitchell said.
Many students said they were excited and overwhelmed by their success.
“The best part was that we stepped up our game in the finals and worked so great together,” sophomore Meg Luthringer said.
Mathews said that the experience at Fullerton was not about winning, but love for theatre. She said the actors were very supportive of each other and are a family.
“I think they did fabulous. It feels great to have the students recognized for their hard work and commitment, especially this past week. The bonding was amazing during such an emotional period. They were all so supportive and good sports to other schools,” Mathews said.
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