ANDOVERVIEW sat down with Ink Magazine co-Editor-in-Chief Keira D’Angelo to discuss the literary club’s purpose and impact within AHS.
When and where is it?
Thursdays after school, Room 222.
What does a typical club meeting look like?
It depends what we’re working on. The past couple of weeks, it’s been us trying to figure out how we’re going to get this year up and going. We have a lot of ideas for different themes we could do for our magazine. Last week, we were working on how to publicize, so we were talking about flyers and social media and stuff like that. But it’s all still up in the air as of right now. This Thursday, we’re gonna solidify some stuff [and] make it more intentional.
How will students who attend benefit from this club?
We’re a literary magazine, so we do a lot of art stuff. We’ll pick a theme, and then you can submit anything from photographs to short stories. A lot of people submit poems, and a lot of people submit drawings. You’ll benefit from learning what it’s like to be in a published magazine. You’ll also learn how to be creative within a theme. I think that’s a lot of what holds people back from submitting. They feel like the theme isn’t what they fit in to, but it can be interpreted in so many different ways and I’m sure whatever you’ve created will be totally fine.
How does the club impact and contribute to the Andover High community?
I think it offers a creative outlet for a lot of people, because a lot of clubs here are very STEM-based. It’s all very, “this is what’s gonna look good on college apps or resumes,” and I think it’s really important to have a place where you can go to just have fun at the end of the day. I think a lot people can benefit from just letting their STEM side take a break and letting their creative side take over a bit.
Ink is currently looking for submissions to the magazine (which has no theme at this time). Please email your pieces to ahs.ink.magazine@gmail.com!
Andover High School’s fall musical, “Into the Woods,” incorporates new fairytale characters into the beloved 1986 Stephen Sondheim musical, adding more roles.
The new characters Hansel, Gretel, Goldilocks, Rumpelstiltskin, the Huntsman, and Tom Thumb each shed light on views never seen before. Director of Theater Arts Susan Choquette previously directed the musical 18 years ago, and has once again decided to add new characters to challenge the cast and include more people in the production.
While “Into the Woods” has many feature roles, there is no ensemble. Gabriel Cordio, a freshman playing Rumpelstiltskin, finds the new characters make the stage and songs sound fuller.
“On the stage, all the fairytale characters are going to be in their costumes, so it’s cool to see there’s Rumpelstiltskin, there’s Goldilocks… It helps fill out the play. [Because] “Into the Woods” is all the fairytales combined, adding more is going to look cooler,” said Cordio.
Many find the addition of new characters to be beneficial to give more people a chance to participate in the show. In addition to supporting upperclassmen who plan to pursue theater beyond high school, the production also provides underclassmen, especially freshmen like Cordio, valuable opportunities––even in smaller roles.
“It allows the Drama Guild to be more inclusive,” said Grace Armstrong, a sophomore playing Goldilocks. “I think they added the parts to show that you [could] still be in the production even if you don’t have a main role.”
The lack of ensemble in the original “Into the Woods” leaves out many possibilities––the incorporation of new characters explores these possibilities.
“I think it creates a larger world,” Choquette said. “To expand the world, especially when the giant starts to wreak havoc… the giant impacts more characters than are in our focus. There’s a whole kingdom out there that’s being affected.”
Armstrong echoed this opinion, pointing out that the added characters give the audiences different perspectives and reactions to the conflicts in the musical.
Nonetheless, the addition of new characters does not come without a lack of challenges. Without direct guidance from the original script, actors must research and explore the resources given to them by Choquette in order to depict their characters the right way.
“When you’re trying to portray a character that’s not in the actual play, you have to make sure you portray the character, but also not take away from the actual story,” said Cordio.
Some roles, on the other hand, have a different type of challenge altogether. Armstrong mentioned that as Goldilocks, she doesn’t have any lines, making it difficult to show different emotions. Some actors must rely on body language to portray their characters.
Despite these unique challenges, the fundamental work stays the same. All roles require research, whether the role is a fictional character or one that has always been part of the script, according to Choquette.
“I hope this experience has given actors in this show some practice doing that research, because the next play they do, they’re going to have to do the same thing,” said Choquette. “What they can’t find, they get to add. And that’s really the fun of being an actor.”
Still, when choosing new characters, Choquette made sure they contributed to the original musical’s theme. They go into unfamiliar territory, which creates conflict and drives the story.
“They go into the woods, wherever that is, in search of something…they get in trouble, and a lot of these characters share that,” said Choquette.
The AHS chorus, orchestra, and band students will compete in the Heritage Festival in New York City this April, from the 11 to the 14.
The four-day trip includes a grander scale performance and a cultural experience in New York. The New York Heritage Festival is held multiple times a year by WorldStrides, a trustworthy educational travel organization, and allows students to perform at Riverside Church in front of three nationally acclaimed adjudicators.
Each ensemble will have the chance to perform for a fifteen-minute time frame, have a mini-clinic with one of the adjudicators, watch other students perform, and receive a professional recording of their performance.
“We wanted to have an opportunity for our students to travel, compete, learn, and have a lot of fun,” said chorus director Lauren Peithmann. She participated in a similar festival in high school, “[It was] so important to my development as a musician and it inspired me,” Peithmann explained. She is looking forward to sharing this experience with her students.
STAFF PHOTO / Saarvi Deshwal AHS band, orchestra, and chorus students practice for the Heritage Festival in New York City.
“It’s a cool thing to play for other people and not just for ourselves,” added band director Jeffery Kuchan. “It’s an important thing [to have] our identity as…the Andover community.” This is notably the first chorus, orchestra, and band field trip, and for a lot of students, this will be their first time performing outside of Andover.
Although the performance isn’t until spring, students are working hard and are confident in their abilities to represent AHS. “I’m going to shred on the bass clarinet!” exclaimed sophomore Tessa Helle, a band student who plays the clarinet. Their performance pieces are still undergoing preparations but they are excited to show off what they’ve been working on by the time April comes around.
Meghna Singh-Joglekar, a sophomore and orchestra student, added her input. “I think I’m most excited to perform and see what the judges are going to say.” With the large amount of time and effort students have been putting into their musical work, they are curious about the judge’s feedback and comments.
Lyric Bartleson, also a sophomore who is a part of the chorus added, “I think it’s just a really good experience to give us something besides a concert, something we can work hard for.” This opportunity helps push students to explore beyond the scope of what school ensembles provide and to watch what other ensembles have prepared.
Their performance and evaluation are top priorities, however, the cultural experience is just as important. On their way to New York, they plan to stop by Connecticut where the orchestra and chorus will visit Yale University in New Haven. The Band plans to visit the Hartt School of Music in West Hartford.
Then, they will get the chance to explore the places New York has to offer, such as Times Square, the 9/11 Memorial Museum, a Broadway show, a New York Philharmonic recital, restaurants, and much more.
To help those in need of financial aid and to overall lower the cost of the trip, Tri-M, the music honor society, collaborated to create a series of fundraisers. They sold butter braids which are sweet pastries, for their first fundraiser. Band, orchestra, and chorus students encouraged other AHS students to order these pastries to contribute to the fundraiser.
During the winter holidays, they held a Little Caesars fundraiser where people could order a pizza kit and order it to their house. In the spring, they plan to hold a mattress fundraiser where they are going to have a big expo for them in the West Middle cafeteria. Then perhaps a few restaurant profit shares where a percentage will go towards the trip.
“I strongly encourage everyone to check us out and support us,” said Kuchan.
The final evening they are in New York, there will be an awards ceremony with WorldStrides where all the high schools will gather. To end the night, they will “go on a cruise around Manhattan with dinner and dancing, a nice way to close up the trip,” concluded Peithmann.
Two murals will be painted by the National Art Honors Society in collaboration with the Sustainable Garden Club.
Promoting native wildlife in Massachusetts as well as the AHS garden, the murals will be located in the two entrances to the garden. This artistic change aims to make the staircase leading to the courtyard more inviting and generate student interest in the garden.
Designed by the National Art Honors Society (NAHS), the murals will be painted in early 2024 after months of planning. “The process is pretty long since there are lots of regulations about murals… but in the end, it’ll be worth it!” said Senior and Sustainable Garden Co-President Claire Tompkins.
“The garden is meant to be a sustainable way for students and staff to get involved with nature in their community in a fun and unique way,” Tompkins added.
The NAHS has put many hours into the process, with each member contributing something to the mural. The members “split up into small groups to create illustrations of different pollinators, plants, and animals that represent wildlife here,” said Senior and Co-President of the NAHS Zara Hayat.
Although the NAHS is primarily working with the Sustainable Garden Club, the Design Media class and Environmental Sustainability Internship Class are involved. “The balance of in school courses and extracurricular clubs allows for a wide range of representation and contributors,” said NAHS advisor Meghan Michaud.
The mural design is being finalized and focuses primarily on pollinators because of their sustainability. The designs also include local wildlife and previous work that the Sustainable Garden Club has completed like birdhouses.
Hopefully, the murals will make the garden an outdoor study and class space for students who would like a change of pace and to bring attention to the less used stairwells on the second and third floor. The murals are planned to be completed this spring.
During the November 10 AEA demonstration, members of the Andover community all over Massachusetts came together at the Town Commons. They shared sentiments regarding the Andover School Committee’s offers and refusals to meet the AEA’s demands.
Brian Shea, AHS English Teacher, opened the stage by defining what Andover Public Schools (APS) truly is, saying that APS is not merely a set of numbers to be analyzed but a thriving community based on love, care, and compassion. Although school is closed, Shea wanted “to be clear that APS is not closed today because APS is right here!”
Kathryn Conti, Woodhill Middle School (WHMS) eighth-grade special education teacher of 20 years and army veteran thanked the rally: “Your personal life and commitment to the common good are an inspiration to students and teachers alike.”
Daniel Donnavon, AHS Science Teacher and marine veteran, declared, “Service is something we model every day in our teaching. We have to stand up for ourselves and model that for our students.”
STAFF PHOTO / Julia Rodenberger Matthew Bach makes a speech at the strikeout.
Matthew Bach, AEA President and AHS History Teacher, shared his eagerness to get back to the classroom but said that [the AEA] “is doing this because it is the right thing to do, and if [they] didn’t do it [he] wouldn’t be able to…look [his] students in the eye. There is a time when what’s just and what’s right has to overcome fear and a reluctance to get out of our individualism. And [the AEA is] here collectively to do that today. And we’re going to win.”
Julian Digloria, AEA Vice President and WHMS History Teacher, reflected on his personal and familial connection to the town as an educator and how important public education is. “It’s something that people do not have across the globe and in some cases in this country and…. something that our armed forces are fighting to protect,” he said. Andover “has been a lighthouse district for public education,” he continued, “[and] we want to keep it that way.” Digloria urged the School Committee to work with the AEA, to offer them a fair contract, and to respect their employees in order to keep Andover a lighthouse district in the commonwealth and in the nation.
Karen Torres, Instructional Assistant Unit Chair, reminded all instructional assistants of their value to the district and how critical their work is for the success of their students. Torres emphasized how the school committee “can’t fill instructional assistant positions that are posted and open, because it’s a difficult, low paying job, and now the district values [instructional assistants] so much that they’re willing to pay an outside company $65 an hour to fill that position.” Torres ended her speech by demanding that the school committee “Do [their] job!”
Chrissy Lynch, Massachusetts AFL-CIO (American Federation of Labor–Congress of Industrial Organizations) President, explained her role and reason for joining the AEA strike: “The job of the AFL-CIO is when one union gets picked on you got a whole bunch of other ones standing in solidarity.” The AFL-CIO represents over 800 local unions across Massachusetts from every sector. Lynch said “Our educators deserve everything that our cities and our state can give them. This is the future of our world.” Although Massachusetts passed the Fair Share Amendment, expected to generate about $2 billion in yearly support for transportation and public education, Lynch said, “Now is the time to use those investments to make sure our schools are getting the resources they need.”
Kara Routier, AHS Instructional Assistant, shared how difficult it is to pursue a career in education because the “starting wage for IAs here is not adequate to pay for housing, food, any student loans, transportation, clothing, and routine bills.” Routier expressed her concern for Andover’s diminishing appeal to young educators, lack of recognition for experienced educators, and the School Committee’s disregard for students, particularly those with special needs.
Dayshawn Simmons, Somerville Educators Union (SEU) President, expressed solidarity with AEA, highlighting their shared struggle for fair wages and conditions. Drawing from Somerville’s experience, he encouraged the AEA to trust in their collective power, emphasizing that their fight will only yield positive changes for educators but will also inspire and empower students: “You all made the brave, courageous, and righteous decision to advocate for yourself, your students, and the Andover community,” said Simmons, “remember what you are fighting for and know that you deserve it.”
STAFF PHOTO / Julia Rodenberger Erica Uyterhoeven makes a speech at the strikeout.
Erica Uyterhoeven, Somerville State Representative, shared her personal connection to labor struggles through her mother’s union. “My first picket line was in the womb,” said Uyterhoeven. She encouraged educators to remember their courage during challenging times and dispelled myths related to funding, the misconception that “Somehow because [teachers] care [about the students], [they] should be paid less,” and the belief that public sector unions are different. She emphasized the right to strike is crucial for negotiation for a fair contract, and she has proposed a bill advocating for the restoration of the right to strike for public sector workers, expressing strong support for the educator’s actions in Andover.
Maura McCurdy Santiago, Andover Parent, read a letter she sent to the School Committee and the Superintendent. She expressed deep disappointment with the School Committee for the prolonged negotiations and lack of urgency in addressing teachers’ concerns. Santiago highlighted teacher’s efforts during the pandemic and argued for a fair wage that considers the cost of living and matches neighboring communities. She asked the School Committee to consider if they “make a good enough living wage to support [their] own family if [they] had to take an unpaid leave to support a sick loved one?”
Students from the AHS Respect Our Teachers Organization, stepped up and shared their personal experiences with the Andover education system. Mitran Kumar, an AHS junior, highlighted the historical significance of the Bread and Roses movements and drew parallels to the ongoing struggle for a fair contract for teachers in Andover. Mitran said, “This is said to be the land of the free and the home of the brave. But I ask you this: when you don’t have the fundamental right to strike, do you feel free? When you don’t have any meaningful impact or input over your curriculum, do you feel free? When you can’t take time off of work for the death of a family member, do you feel free? But I also ask you this together as we stand here in solidarity, just how powerful we are together. Do you feel brave?”
President Michael Zilles, President of the Newton Teachers Association (NTA), stated that the NTA is working with the same law firm, using similar tactics to resist contracts. Ziles said, “They think they can beat us, but they can’t. I’m coming away from here feeling stronger because what [the AEA] is doing here is going to help 2000 members in Newton and we are going to win just as [the AEA is] going to win.” Max Page, Massachusetts Teachers Association (MTA) President and Deb McCarthy, MTA Vice President addressed the crowd in solidarity and expressed admiration for the union members fighting for living wages, paid parental leave, and adequate recess time. Page said, “You are not going to be getting this by asking. You are doing this by demanding a fair contract for all your members and for the students in this district… The fight for racial gender, education, and justice, runs through the AEA and runs right through Andover, so you do this for yourselves and your students, but you do this for a larger labor movement that is on the rise.”
It’s spooky season, and Don’t Starve is the next underrated video game you should play. Released 10 years ago in 2013, this no-internet-required Steam game is a hidden gem in the survival genre.
The premise of Don’t Starve is, as the name suggests, to withstand the elements and survive long enough to free an integral game character. But there’s a catch—you’re hurled from this world (Earth) into a disorderly reality of beasts that can either kill you or aid in your journey. With many new creatures to interact with, the game stays captivating and sure to reel you in.
COURTESY PHOTO / Klei Entertainment Default Don’t Starve character, Wilson, survives the wilderness by running away from hostile spiders.
The game also adds intriguing features. In addition to the classic health and hunger bars, there is also a sanity bar. It decreases during various circumstances—at night, for example—making the game more complex and gripping.
There are currently 25 playable characters in Don’t Starve, each with a unique backstory on how they found themselves in the Don’t Starve world. In addition to at least one unique perk, characters are given advantages and disadvantages in certain statistics, making gameplay interesting from character to character.
What does this game have to do with Halloween? you may ask. The answer lies in the art. The style is ingenious and crafted immaculately: 2-D, hand-drawn—almost a little childish—and very much “spooky,” not unlike a Tim Burton character. It really sets the game apart from others of the same genre by constructing a uniquely unsettling mood.
COURTESY PHOTO / Klei Entertainment Don’t Starve characters Wormwood, Wendy, and Wilson (left to right) tend to a raft at their base.
Survival games often don’t have much backstory, but Don’t Starve does. Because of its complexity, many people just play for the survival aspect. But the story is intricate, interesting, and well-written—more than enough to keep your attention and anticipation high, and I very much recommend looking into it once you start playing.
While the experience is better through the Steam app on a laptop or computer, there even exists a convenient mobile version of Don’t Starve. I know I’ve played it on car rides and airplanes. Another perk I’ve appreciated is the lack of motion sickness because of its 2D nature, which is important for someone who gets nauseous on almost all mobile apps.
Don’t Starve Together, the multiplayer extension of Don’t Starve also on the Steam app, adds to the fun by allowing you to play with friends and family. Have none? Not a problem—there’s public servers where many users host open worlds. So next time you think of opening Minecraft, don’t—and download Don’t Starve instead.
Andover High School students participating in the Massachusetts Music Educators’ Association (MMEA) Northeastern District Junior Festival will perform on March 18, 2023 at Galvin Middle School in Wakefield, MA.
Auditions for Junior Festival took place on January 28, 2023 at Tenney Grammar School in Methuen, MA. According to Sean Walsh, the fine arts program coordinator at Andover Public Schools, students must be in grades six through nine and participate in a school ensemble, such as band, orchestra, or chorus, to be eligible to audition. Music directors must be active members of the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) to register students for Junior Festival.
STAFF PHOTO / Jacqueline Zhu Nitsan Cohen-Yashar, freshman, plays flute during band rehearsal.
The audition entailed performing two scales and an excerpt of a preselected piece in front of an adjudicator.
“Students get the music in advance, and they work on it independently,” explained Walsh. “They’ll usually have around three to four weeks to prepare the music.”
Auditions are evaluated on certain criteria, which include intonation, tone quality, technique, and musicianship. Students who meet the qualifying score for their instrument, which varies from year to year, proceed to perform at Junior Festival.
“This year, we have 18 students districtwide who were admitted into Junior Festival,” stated Walsh. Five AHS freshmen are among those accepted.
Megan Huang, a violinist, reflected on her experience auditioning for Junior Festival. “When we got there, we basically had a few minutes to practice before our auditions,” she said. “The auditions were short, but they were really nerve-wracking.”
Huang stated that because of her anxiety, she did worse than expected. “I still got in, but I’m not as excited as I should be,” she said.
Violinist Meredith Cummings echoed a similar sentiment. “[The adjudicators] didn’t give us live feedback, but they wrote notes,” she stated. “It was really stressful, because they were just completely silent during the audition. You could hear the clicking of their keyboards as they were typing down their notes.”
In contrast, flutist Nitsan Cohen-Yashar felt more enthusiastic about his audition. “I already knew most of the scales,” he said. “I also practiced the piece beforehand, and it just needed some minor tweaking.”
Regarding the benefits gained from participating in Junior Districts, Walsh explained that it familiarizes students with the audition process. This aspect is particularly important for those interested in pursuing music as a career.
“If you’re able to play with high-level musicians and work with a master instructor, I think that experience is invaluable,” said Walsh.
The Advanced Placement (AP) 2D Art and Design class, introduced at Andover High School this year, requires students to create a portfolio that incorporates 2D pieces to show off their art skills and depth of understanding on a chosen topic.
This course helps students “create a portfolio to get [them] into college or to pursue a career, the kind of thing you would show in an interview,” said Meghan Michaud, who teaches the class. “This [class] could be about pushing that study further so that you are prepared for advanced study beyond getting into the program.”
Usually, after Portfolio I, in which students create a similar portfolio, students would move onto Portfolio II. This year, Portfolio II was replaced by an AP class, which is a plus for those desiring to pursue art beyond high school. The prerequisites for AP 2D Art and Design are Portfolio I and 1.5 credits in fine arts.
“The big difference this class has from other art classes is that it’s much more self-directed,” said Abby Clement, a senior at AHS who is taking the course this year. “We create our sustained investigation question and the ideas for each project.”
In the course, students choose a sustained investigation question to explore. A sustained investigation is a body of work in response to that question. Students research, read articles, and refer to visual examples, artists, trends, and compositions. “They pick their own topic, but we spend a great amount of time brainstorming and making sure there is research to back up those ideas before we pursue it and all the different tangents that a possible question could go into,” said Michaud.
Students are to be accurate and put effort into both their artwork and information.
“Rather than completing assignments, we can use our own creative liberty to explore other topics,” said senior Alva Yanowitz. “[For] my topic, I chose to investigate human relationships and human connection.” She is creating art that expresses what it is like to have a relationship with someone who is struggling with mental health or addiction.
STAFF PHOTO / Samantha Sun Alva Yanowitz works on an art piece.
Students are allowed to use any type of 2D mediums at their disposal, and the limits are very loose, giving room for creativity. “I’ve done one [piece] digitally, one in crayons, and one in pen and then scanned and edited digitally,” said Clement. “It’s been fun experimenting with mediums I haven’t worked with before, like crayons.”
The class is very fast-paced and engaging. By the end of the course, students are expected to submit a portfolio of what they have created: a sustained investigation that includes 15 high quality works, documents of research to explain each piece, and 5 additional works that show the depth of their progress. AP 2D Art and Design is highly recommended for “students who are wishing to pursue a career in the arts and have the kind [of] dedication and creativity [to dive deep] into the content and pursu[e] all the possibilities,” said Michaud.
Showcasing a dozen talented students, this year’s talent show will take place on January 26 in the Collins Center at 7:00 pm.
Following last year’s successful show, the Junior Board started planning months in advance. The Board’s advisors are Michelle Chachus, Nicholas Rand, and the principal organizer, Guidance Counselor Kimberly Bergey. Sign-ups ended on January 12, and the first dress rehearsal occurred on January 24. Some of the acts anticipated are slam poetry, dance, musical numbers, and comedy. Leeyah Soen, Smit Patel, Kiarra Lucas, Louis Morrison, and the AHS a cappella group, The Chromatics, are some of the names that will be appearing at the show.
Junior Board members began asking teachers to be a part of the panel of judges after returning from break, and “are hoping to have three or four teachers on the panel,” Rand said. “They will be coming up with first and second places based on scoring, and the audience will have a live vote for the fan favorite.”
Anticipation for this year’s talent show has been built up, “Last year was a really successful one,” Rand said. “Since COVID, we weren’t having them. In our eyes, it was the first big event of the school coming together in a non-sport, team aspect.”
Bergey continued the tradition of the show. “Former Spanish teacher Mr. Kolbe used to hold a talent show last block the day before winter vacation. When he retired, I wanted to continue the tradition and it is one of my favorite events of the school year,” Bergey said. She has had many years of experience running the show, but the talent show has only been taking place after school hours for the last few years. “We have a few excited junior hosts this year,” Rand added, making this year extra special.
Talent show poster
Leeyah Soen is in all things music at the high school and has been performing since she was three years old, in all kinds of performing arts. “I got second place because I played the piano, sang, and danced in the same act,” Soen said, referring to last year’s show. After last year’s success, she is participating once again.
Many are excited for the night, especially Rand: “It’s overall a really fun event, and everyone is welcome. We really get a good mix of people to come to it.”
AHS Drama Guild to Put On Cinderella as Fall Musical
Harry Guo and Brandon Nguyen STAFF WRITERS
Andover High School’s fall musical, Cinderella, brings a fresh look to the classic tale. The production plans to offer new interpretations of its characters, story, and message.
This year’s fall musical may not be the Cinderella story one would expect. Unlike the classic Disney Cinderella, AHS drama director Susan Choquette has decided to put on the 2013 Broadway version by Douglas Carter Beane, with a score by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. In this retelling of the classic tale, the plot becomes much more modernized and comical while also giving characters more substance and touching on themes of leadership and equality.
According to Aislinn Cantin, a senior and the actress playing Cinderella in the play, the new Cinderella is more confident and three-dimensional, not just someone waiting around to be saved by a prince. “For a lot of Andover High School [students], this is a new experience for them to see this type of show,” said Cantin. “It’s definitely a lot of work, but I’m having a really fun time and it’s really exciting to see everything come together… I think it could be really amazing.”
The cast and crew are ready to take up the challenge as they break old stereotypes the initial story had set for them. James Wong, a senior and the male lead in the play, described the characters as more in-depth and less stereotypical. His character, Prince Topher, is given more personality as the plot explores his role as the kingdom’s leader. “It allows for so much interpretation, for both the artist and the audience,” said Wong. “I could play a role in one way… and it could be received by an audience member in a very unique and different way.”
With many talented students and one of the largest numbers of students involved in a production, Choquette needed to find a way to offer more opportunities, which was one of the reasons why she chose this version of Cinderella. There’s an expansion of more featured roles, and the peasants even have a subplot where they raise their voices in protest against a dictatorial government and have an uprising. “We poke fun at lots of things, so keep an open mind about that,” said Choquette. “It’s the same tale at the end of the day, but it’s told in a different way that gives the audience a little more credit.”
Junyi Ye, a freshman and member of both the cast and stage crew, said the plot “gives [the play] more meaning than just an everyday love story between a prince and a princess. [It] relates to the actual living of lower-class people.”
Still, there is a sense of familiarity with the original Cinderella. The score from Rodgers and Hammerstein has been kept mostly untouched. Elise Yen, a freshman and pit musician for the play, said that they are “trying to play everything at the original speed [and] play it as written 60 years ago.”
Ultimately, Choquette is looking to bring new experiences to both the cast and the audience. She chose to put on a children’s musical like Cinderella to give students a variety of shows in their high school years, as the last time AHS put on a similar show was Chitty Chitty Bang Bang in 2014. This performance may be new for some, and Choquette hopes the audience will be able to have fun with the script and enjoy a more contemporary interpretation. “I hope that those who are a part of the drama guild as well as the audience feel like we’re making great art,” Choquette concluded.
