Road to performance

Talon Theatre actors tell us about what the hard work is like before a show.
By Gracynn Crocker, Staff Writer

This fall, Talon Theatre is putting on the production David and Lisa. This show runs October 25 to the 28th. David and Lisa is about a young boy and girl who have mental disorders and how they find their way through their relationship. After many hours of work and preparing the students put on a meaningful show.

Each year, the group performs two productions. The students spends multiple days a week rehearsing lines and getting ready for their show. The play, David and Lisa, has no singing or dancing which is different from the Spring production. The differences between a play and a musical cause the process before each to be different.

Talon Theatre’s performances often make social statements on how the world is today. They have done past shows such as Godspell, which told they story of the gospels in a different way. Talon Theatre has also worked on a piece called Speak Up to spread suicide awareness.

An overall theme for the play is “accepting people for who they are,” said Garrett Webb, who plays David. “Theatre is telling a story that about things that people are sometimes afraid to talk about.”

A show like this takes a lot of time and dedication, according to Jimenez. The students work three days a week until a week before the show.

During “hell week”, [the week right before the show where they make the final touches] they are at school from “2:30 until 11,” Webb said. “Monday through Saturday”.

When the atmosphere of theatre has high tensions before a show, the students enjoy pranking each other. This relieves stress on the group and adds many laughs among the performers.

Last year during the show Godspell, while cleaning up after the set the group decided to, “prank Garrett,” Jimenez said, “They put me in a black trash bag and covered me in ripped paper so it looked like it was full of it and we asked him to pick it up and take it to the trash, Right before he picked it up I jumped out at him and he freaked out”.

Most people who see the show don’t know how much time goes in to it. The performers often work more hours than most of the sports teams.

“I think people should know how much time and effort we put into every show and the dedication we have,” said Savannah Jimenez, who plays Josette.

According to Jimenez, one major thing she loves about theatre is that everyone is welcoming. Because they are with each other so many hours of they week they have become a tight knit group.

“Theatre really is a family,” said Webb “We are always there for each other.” They continue to grow close as they prepare for the many upcoming events.

The family environment created with this group, students find their way at Santa Margarita. They all love what they do and they bond over their love of theatre.

“The actors in theatre are in every grade at SM,” said Webb. Being able to see people you know has helped the transition for multiple students.

“We all put our heart and soul into it and its what we love,” Jimenez exclaims.