Canevin Theater
Canevin Catholic High School offers many extra curricular activities.
Those
students geared toward the physical challenges may choose from various
athletic
programs such as, basketball, soccer, and football. On the other
hand, there are
additional activities for those more interested in a mental
challenge. These
students may join such organizations anywhere from FBLA to
Forensics. However,
of all the extra curricular activities offered by
Canevin, none excites me more
than Dramatics. This paper takes a look at my
last three years involvement in
the annual musical productions here at
Canevin. Traditionally, Canevin's
dramatics has been a full-scale musical
production performed in the spring.
Students may audition for chorus,
acting or dancing parts or they may join one
of the many stage crews. During
freshman year, I tried out for the musical
"Working." "Working" depicted
different careers through
dialogue, song and dance. To my surprise, I made
callbacks. When the cast list
was posted, the role of Anthony Polazzo, the
Mason, was awarded to me. After
weeks of hard work and rehearsals, it was
finally opening night. From that time
on, I realized Dramatics was for me.
The following year, the start-up meeting
could not arrive fast enough for me.
The play selected for my sophomore year was
"Damn Yankees." The musical's
main character was Joe Hardy. Joe wanted
so drastically to play baseball for
the Washington Senators, that he was willing
to sell his soul to the devil.
When the cast list was posted this time, I was
assigned to play the role of
Mr. Welch. As owner of the Washington Senator's, I
was expected to portray a
prestigious and confident businessman who enjoyed his
cigars. In one short
year, I went from a mason in overalls, to a baseball team
owner decked out in
a suit and tie. That's show business! "Into the
Woods" was selected as
the musical for the following year. The story line
included various
adaptations of traditional fairy tales. Well, if mason to owner
wasn't
extreme enough, what would you say about Cinderella's father? Junior
year
found me playing the character of an older man who marries for the
second time,
to a woman with two nagging daughters. In a house of four women,
no wonder he
resorted to drinking. Directed to use a silver flask as a prop
and a fair amount
of improvisation of libations, I portrayed the character of
Cinderella's father
as a drunk. When the final curtain came down closing
night on "Into the
Woods," there was, however, one more performance still
to come. This year
Canevin had been nominated for 6 Gene Kelly Awards,
including Best Musical in
Budget Level 2. The Gene Kelly Awards sponsored
by Pittsburgh's Civic Light
Opera recognizes students for excellence in
High School musical theater. On the
night of the awards, those schools
nominated for Best Show perform on the
Benedum stage a selection from
their production. Extra rehearsals were
scheduled, and a final practice with
the Benedum orchestra was needed. I am
proud to announce that Canevin was
awarded the Gene Kelly for Best Costume
Design and Best Musical in our
division. Additionally, each year two students
are asked to represent their
school in a final production number. This
prestigious honor is always given
to two seniors. Unfortunately, this year, two
of the practices fell during
graduation activities. Since 5 rehearsals are
mandatory, our director, Treva
Rueso made her selections from the junior cast
members. A fellow junior and I
were ecstatic to be chosen to join members from
all the participating schools
in the final production number, "Keep Your
Eyes on the Goal." The
plethora of ecstatic people applauding at the close
of the Gene Kelly's was
phenomenal. It was indeed an honor to represent Canevin
in this collaboration
of students exercising their many talents. I have
experienced many gratifying
moments in my years at Canevin, but few have been as
electrifying as sharing
with fellow cast and crew members their ability,
courage, and commitment in
creating the annual school musical. The Dramatic
program continues to
surprise its supporters with innovative musical theater.
Through my
experience in putting on a musical, I have learned what it means to
work as a
team. The camaraderie was intense and rewarding. I look forward to
this
year's production of "My Fair Lady," and to once again contribute
and
experience the magic of the
stage.