Whether it was working with lines or just giving advice, I loved being able to help my friends around me,” says Lewis. As student director, I was able to help others with anything that they needed. They have made such an impact on me and I hope that I have had the same effect on my peers this year. I really looked up to the student directors that I’ve had in my past three years. “I have wanted to be student director since I first knew about in freshman year. Senior Jenny Lewis, portrayed braniac Taylor McKessie, and senior Hayley Wojtaszek, cheerleader captain, not only starred in the performance but helped direct the musical alongside Rachel Ryan and Mary-Kate Schmidt. “The most memorable thing that will carry through with me all throughout my years was the final tribute to the fellow seniors and I and having our last bow together. Schmidt, and the rest of the cast and crew really was the highlight of high school for me.” Neely has played such characters as Papa Ge in Once on This Island, the King in Twelve Dancing Princesses, and a kindergartner named Sam in Boy Meets Girl. Lancer Productions has truly made my high school experience what it is. “Playing a role like Chad Danforth was different for me, but definitely in a fun and exciting manner. James Neely, a senior here at SJV, played Troy’s best friend, Chad Danforth. If I could go back, I would go back to the opening weeks of freshman year and sign up for the 2011 fall drama, and as an actor I have gained a massive amount of respect for the amount of talent and hard work that goes into creating these shows.” Prior to High School Musical, Aliprandi had played a dodo bird and a card in the queen’s army of his middle school performance of Alice in Wonderland. “Getting into Lancer Productions my senior year, I regret having not been a part of this amazing family for all four years. And since High School Musical takes places in a high school, the characters are instantly relatable…so getting into the mindset of a jock as well as someone interested in theater changed my outlook on those two respective groups.” Aliprandi says. “Being Troy definitely impacted my acting career in making me consider doing something acting/drama related in my college career.

Behind closed doors, the cast is dancing and singing to their favorite songs, taking pictures, socializing, and putting the finishing touches on everything for the performance. What not everyone gets to see is probably the most fun. It was closed off by the senior cast singing a High School Musical megamix. Not only did the Lancers perform the well-known songs like Start of Something New, Bop to the Top, and We’re All in This Together, they brought in new songs like Cellular Fusion, I Can’t Take my Eyes off of You, and Counting on You. All chaos occurs between the Scholastic Decathlon, the Championship Basketball game, and Musical Call-Backs, not to mention feuding between Coach Bolton, played by senior Dan Ostmann, and Drama teacher Ms. Jocks are bakers, Braniacs are dancers, and Skaters are cello-players. The school is rocked when it comes out that Troy got a call back and everyone wants to embrace their inner talents. Troy and Gabriella, played by senior Dave Aliprandi and freshman Sophia Murillo, audition for the Drama Club’s Spring Musicale and unexpectedly get the lead parts, upsetting the typical leads Sharpay and Ryan Evans, played by sophomore Olivia Howell and freshman Nicholas Hunt. The two meet on a ski trip where they expect to never run into each other again, that is until they get back from winter break. High School Musical centers on Troy Bolton, the superstar basketball captain, and Gabriella Montez, the science genius. This spring’s production of High School Musical not only involved these things backstage, but portrayed them in the spotlight. The behind the scenes magic helps the theater create the productions that the Lancers are proud to share with everyone. Auditions, call-backs, choreography, learning songs, rehearsing lines, costume fittings, and so much more. The stage is what the audience sees but there is a lot that goes into making a musical production. Stephanie Brogna, Co-Editor-in-Chief/ PhotographerĮveryone knows the story of Troy Bolton, the basketball star and secret singer of East High, and Gabriella Montez, the new girl in school, seen on stage but not everyone knows what happens behind the scenes of a Lancer Productions Musical.

Backstage pass game john