The Serrano High School Theater Arts Department has three stage productions a year. There is usually only one musical, but the director, Beverly Quinn, is excited to bring you two musicals for the first time in one school year!
Mrs. Quinn has been at Serrano as the Theater Arts teacher for 25 years. During her time, she has directed her students in several plays, such as Alice in Wonderland, The Sword in the Styrofoam, and The Adams Family. Her passion for theater arts and dedication to her students is evident as she beams with pride when sharing, “Creating strong memories for the kids and building their self-esteem anytime they’re on stage is important.”
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs – The Musical is currently running, and Mrs. Quinn was kind enough to let us have a sneak peek backstage as they were leading up to opening night. This version of Snow White may look slightly different than you would expect. It is a musical adaptation by Tim Kelly of the Brothers Grimm version of the classic fairytale. “It’s a very fun version of Snow White and is appropriate for all ages,” said Quinn.
With only 16 characters in the play and 21 students in the class, some of the parts were double cast, so everyone had a part and would get time to shine on stage. “I try hard to instill the ensemble spirit and diminish the possibility of diva attitudes,” expressed Quinn. Each cast will perform on two separate nights.
The students aren’t just up on stage performing. There is a whole production staff that is student-run as well. From Production Stage Manager, Stage Crew, Lighting Designer/Operator, and Sound Designer/Operator, students get to be a part of it all.
I was able to meet with some of the cast and crew and get an insight into how it feels to be involved in the production of Snow White and if they hope to continue with a Theater career after leaving Serrano.
Genevieve Brown, who plays the role of Evil Queen in the blue cast, is very passionate about theater and performing. She hopes to continue her theater career on Broadway. When asked about her dream role, she replied, “I really want to play Dorothy!”
Max Dunham, who plays Prince Robert in the blue cast, shared, “My Mom does puppets and costumes for theater, so it’s always been a part of my life, and I really enjoy it!”
Rowan Cannaday, who plays the Crone. “This is a fun role to play! I often look at ensemble roles as roles that build the show. They are just as important as the main roles.” expressed Cannaday
Corrine Young, who plays Esmeralda in the gold cast, shared, “I remember coming as a kid to see plays at Serrano and thinking, I can’t wait to be up there one day!’
Scarlet Allred is a first-time Sound Effects Operator. When asked why she decided to try sound effects, Allred said, “I like learning new things and having various knowledge, and this is one thing I haven’t tried yet.”
Israel Romero, first-time Light Operator. “It’s fun; I learned a lot of new stuff! People are nice, and I like it a lot,” he shared.
Choreographer Alexa Scanlan is new to Serrano this year. She has been teaching dance classes since the age of nine. “I love it, it’s fun. Not very many people get to say they love what they do,” Scanlan says of her job. She choreographed a total of six dances for the show. When creating the dances, she has a process that takes at least two hours per song. When asked how she likes it at Serrano so far, she responded, “Mrs. Quinn is the best, and I am lucky to be here. The kids are sweet and kind, and they want to learn. It’s been very rewarding!”
Master Electrician Davey Schneider is also new to the Serrano staff this year. He graduated from Serrano last year as Valedictorian. “I love this school! I spent a lot of time while in high school trying to fix things in the PAC and get them up and running again. When the opportunity came up to work here after leaving school, I was happy to take the job.” He continued, “I love the unpredictable nature of what I’ll be fixing from day to day.”
I was able to attend opening night, and the cast and crew did an awesome job! You can see the love for the craft in all of the students, both on stage and in the crew. The Evil Queen, played by Genevieve Brown, was a treat to watch. She embodied the character perfectly! As far as musical numbers go, I’ve Got This Apple, performed by Crone (Rowan Cannaday) and Snow White (Lily McNeal), was a highlight and had the whole crowd clapping along.
The play will run for three more nights, March 1st, 7th and 8th. To buy tickets to the show, please go to https://gofan.co/app/school/CA8043. To follow all things Serrano High School Theater Arts Department, you can follow them on Facebook @Serrano Theater Arts Department [https://www.facebook.com/serranotheatrearts/] and on Instagram @serrano_theater [https://www.instagram.com/serrano_theatre/]
