The Arcadia High School Theatre Department won several top prizes at last weekend’s Musical Theatre Competitions of America in Anaheim for musical theatre students and directors from all over the country.
AHS drama students Gabriel Rousset and Ariana Raygoza accept the top national competition award.
Competing at the Disneyland Resort on Sunday, Feb. 22, AHS took the first place trophy in the High School Intermediate Category for its ensemble performance of Oklahoma, which will begin full performances March 22 in the Litle Theatre at Arcadia High. The award was accepted by Gabriel Rousset and Ariana Raygoza who play the lead male and female roles of Curly and Laurie, respectively (photo at right).
Nick Munoz and Keith Harmel also won individual honors in solo categories for seniors and juniors, respectively. A group of AHS drama students also won for Costume Design — Karly Kostelac, Shana Mofarrah, Andrew Platt and Roxanne Demente.
Arcadia Mayor Gary Kovacic, who is a coach for the AHS Constitution team that won its own statewide competition on Saturday in Bakersfield, praised the theatre team. “Arcadians have long known about the talented performers in Arcadia High’s Theatre Department, and now the nation knows. Congratulations to a great ensemble of actors on winning first place. I’m really looking forward to the upcoming performance of Oklahoma.”
“We have an extraordinary group of students in our award-winning Theatre Department and we are all very thrilled to have won First Place in this National Competition,” added AHS Theatre Director Steven Volpe. “With high schools from across America in the Intermediate High School Ensemble category, our students once again made Arcadia proud.”
For tickets to Oklahoma, playing at 7 p.m. Thursday – Saturday March 22-24 and March 29-31, go to www.arcadiastage.com or purchase them at Denny’s Restaurant at 7 East Huntington Drive in Arcadia on the corner of Huntington Drive and Santa Anita Avenue. Students and Seniors are $10; general admission is $15; and VIP reserved seating is $25. You can also purchase tickets for opening night at the Arcadia or Monrovia Community Centers.
— By Scott Hettrick