Disney's High School Musical Jr. on stage at the TASIS Dorado Performing Arts Center was a smash hit!
The Latest Smash At The TASIS Dorado PAC: Disney's High School Musical Jr.
The TASIS Dorado Spring musical production of "Disney's High School Musical Jr.," directed by Axel Serrant and produced by Drama teacher Lourdeliz Ramos, was a resounding success and our grandest production to date, playing to a full house on both April 13th and Saturday the 14th at the PAC!Based on the Disney Channel's smash hit movie, High School Musical, our production sees the familiar characters of Troy, Gabriella, the Jocks, the Brainiacs, the Thespians, and the Rebels of East High tackling themes of love, friendship, and family while attempting to balance the teenage turmoil with academic and extracurricular commitments.
For the past eleven weeks, a cast and crew of almost 130 talented students from 1st to 12th-grade and a chorus and musicians from 6th-12th-grade, have been putting in long hours of rehearsal time, culminating in two wonderful performances this past weekend. "Putting together a musical while being a student and juggling so many things at the same time -- that's amazing! Congratulations to the cast, the crew and the teachers on their hard work, effort and staying on top of things amongst so many responsibilities." director Axel Serrant exclaimed.
Upper school students took diction, singing, acting and dancing lessons, and worked as stagehands, moving set items onstage throughout the musical. 44 Elementary students (Mini Wildcats) also enjoyed a memorable experience as part of this show, bringing tons of enthusiasm, talent, and energy to each of their ten rehearsals. They learned ambitious and complex choreographies from Mr. Edwin Colón and Ms. Michelle Latour supported by "wonder mom" Natalia Haigler, who masterfully directed their energy into spectacular dance performances. They captivated the audience, especially with the opening number, a remix of songs from the musical. The 5th graders took leadership roles and guided the younger stars throughout the whole process. Each dance group had their moment in the spotlight!
The East High Mini Wildcats captivated the audience (click here for video)
Our talented music department, featuring Ms. Karla Santana, Mr. Fabián Rivera, Mr. Joel Bracero and Mr. Jonathan Martínez, performed live with our student musicians, conducting and adding to the authentic theatrical experience. The Wildcats band, directed by Mr. Jonathan Martinez, consisted of 12 musicians and a Wildcat Choir of four backing vocalists, directed by Mr. Joel Bracero. Our talented TD teacher, Ms. Karla Santana was the vocal coach and show pianist.
The Wildcats Band and Choir during rehearsal (click here for video)
It was an emotional journey for some of our performing Seniors considering this was their last school production at TASIS Dorado. Senior Alessandra Casanova, who took on the role of the female lead, Gabriella Montez, has also been in numerous TASIS Dorado productions ever since she was cast as a woodland creature in the production of "Into the Woods" during her 4th-grade. "I may have only participated in two scenes in the entire show. However, I felt on top of the world... I am extremely proud to say that I have decided to study musical theatre in college, and I can't thank the TASIS Dorado Drama Department enough for shaping who I am as a performer," Alessandra announced.
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Alessandra Casanova '18 (Gabriella) and Liam Muldoon '18 (Troy) have been on stage together since their fifth grade (click here for video)
Senior Liam Muldoon, who played the role of Troy Bolton, echoed the sentiment: "I first started participating in theatre in the 5th grade with Ale, and ever since, we've done many plays together. I started musicals as a quiet and timid kid...after joining the theatre program at TASIS...you grow as a person. Whether playing soccer or basketball is your thing, Model UN, or Math Bowl, each one of us can benefit from a little confidence no matter where our "game" is, and the theatre program will help you get there."
Other seniors also participated in the cast, including Mesac Garriga, Adriana Cuevas, and Manuel Cabanillas. Seniors Héctor Rivera and Paola Artau added their talent to the production as part of the band and chorus. Manuel Cabanillas together with Junior Valentina Nevares gave a fantastic and hilarious performance as the duo of Sharpay and her twin brother Ryan Evans trying to bring down the lead couple.
Scene stealers Valentina Nevares '20 and Manuel Cabanillas '18 as the hilarious twins Sharpay and Ryan Evans (click here for video)
Ms. Lourdeliz Ramos, TD Drama teacher, HSM's assistant director and stage manager, praised her performers after the show: "Tonight, I couldn't feel prouder of my kids who gave their all onstage and sacrificed so many other things in order to be here tonight fully prepared for the show. They performed as professionals, singing, acting, dancing and working on stage, and they are SO happy! To me, that's the greatest reward."
Bop to the Top (click here for video)
Following last weekend's shows, Ms. Lourdeliz gathered the cast and crew this week to hand out participation certificates and for each student to reflect upon their own process during the production. "I congratulated the high school students for setting a good example to the youngest ones. Watching them working together, the sixth graders with the seniors, the shy ones with the extroverted ones, helping and supporting each other regardless of their differences and learning from one another, was very rewarding. Having positive role models to aspire to is simply beautiful. That's what we got from High School Musical... a family." concluded Ms. Lourdeliz.
The Cheerleaders (click here for video)
The Jocks (click here for video)
The Rebels (click here for video)
The Brainiacs (click here for video)
The Auditions with Ms. Darbus (click here for video)
The Company (click here for video)
The Mini Wildcats (click here for video) (video 2)
The TASIS Dorado Cast of Disney's High School Musical Jr. (click here for video)
Seniors Mesac Garriga, Liam Muldoon, Alessandra Casanova, Manuel Cabanillas,
Adriana Cuevas (photo by Priscilla Torres)
The Wildcat Band and Choir
Technical Director Henry Miranda, Drama teacher and
producer Lourdeliz Ramos and Director Axel Serrant
HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL JR. CREDITS
MUSICAL NUMBERS
- Wildcat Cheer (Company) Click here for video
- Start of Something New (Troy, Gabriella, Company) Click here for video
- Get'cha Head in the Game (Troy, Jocks) Click here for video
- Auditions (Thespians, Ms. Darbus) Click here for video
- What I've Been Looking For (Sharpay, Ryan) Click here for video
- What I've Been Looking For - Reprise (Troy, Gabriella) Click here for video
- Stick to the Status Quo (Company) Click here for video
- We're All in This Together (Jocks and Brainiacs) Click here for video
- Bop to the Top (Sharpay, Ryan) Click here for video
- Breaking Free (Troy, Gabriella, Company) Click here for video
- We're All in This Together - Reprise (Company) Click here for video
CAST
- Liam Muldoon as Troy Bolton
- Alessandra Casanova as Gabriella Montez
- Valentina Nevares as Sharpay Evans
- Manuel Cabanillas as Ryan Evans
- Kamalkali Toraño as Taylor McKessie
- Victoria Monteagudo as Kelsi Nielsen
- Mesac Garriga as Chad Danforth
- Michael Calixto as Zeke Baylor
- Gabriel Rivera as Jack Scott
- Enrique Valiente as Coach Bolton
- Mia K. Rodríguez as Ms. Darbus
- Emma Trápaga as Martha Cox
- Zita Cortés as Ripper
- Camelia Marini as Mango
- Beatriz Estella as Jamie
- Valeria Moreda as Susan
- Anushka Agarwal as Cathy
- Adriana Cuevas as Cyndra
- María V. Hayes as Ms. Tenny / Moderator
JOCKS
- Aimée Colón - 7th grade
- Alanis Camacho - 10th grade
- Ana Camila Bonilla - 6th grade
- Arielle Sambolín - 10th grade
- Camila Colón - 7th grade
- Isabel Rivera - 8th grade
- Liam Muldoon - 12th grade
- Mesac Garriga - 12th grade
- Michael Calixto - 11th grade
- Paulette Artau - 10th grade
- Valery Conde - 8th grade
CHEERLEADERS
- Adriana Cuevas - 12th grade
- Alejandra Pamias - 7th grade
- Alexia Vega - 8th grade
- Amanda Quintana - 7th grade
- Ana Muñiz - 7th grade
- Carolina Alloca - 7th grade
- Catalina Trápaga - 7th grade
- Paula Serra - 8th grade
- Valeria Castellano - 6th grade
BRAINIACS
- Alana Fuentes - 6th grade
- Alessandra Casanova - 12th grade
- Ariana Rodríguez - 8th grade
- Emma Trápaga - 7th grade
- Gabriel Rivera - 6th grade
- Hanna Grochowski - 8th grade
- Kamalkali Toraño - 8th grade
- Karla Junco - 7th grade
- Nadia Sambolín - 8th grade
- Valeria Martí - 6th grade
THESPIANS
- Anushka Agarwal - 11th grade
- Beatriz Estella - 7th grade
- Manuel Cabanillas - 12th grade
- Mariana García - 6th grade
- Valentina Nevares - 10th grade
- Valeria Moreda - 10th grade
- Victoria Monteagudo - 6th grade
REBELS
- Andrea Goveo - 8th grade
- Ariana González - 6th grade
- Camelia Marini - 7th grade
- Zita Cortés - 7th grade
FACULTY
- Enrique Valiente - 10th grade
- Mia K. Rodríguez - 10th grade
- María V. Hayes - 11th grade
MINI WILDCATS
- Abby McCartney - 3rd grade
- Adrián Ortiz - 1st grade
- Alejandra Barrientos - 3rd grade
- Amaya González - 2nd grade
- Andrelle Rivera - 4th grade
- Angélica Hernández - 5th grade
- Aniya Gilbert - 1st grade
- Annabelle Young - 1st grade
- Bianca Reyes - 2nd grade
- Blanca Serra - 5th grade
- Camila Goveo - 5th grade
- Catalina Quiñones - 3rd grade
- Chenelle Clair - 5th grade
- Claudia Quiñones - 2nd grade
- Claudia Soto - 5th grade
- Daniela Castelló - 5th grade
- Daniela Martínez - 3rd grade
- Elena Emanuelli - 3rd grade
- Fernando Descartes - 5th grade
- Gabriela Descartes - 5th grade
- Gabriela Gutiérrez - 5th grade
- Gialianis Calixto - 5th grade
- Isabela Ramírez - 2nd grade
- Isabella Rodríguez - 2nd grade
- Jared Martínez - 2nd grade
- Jules Martínez - 3rd grade
- Katerina Stubbe - 3rd grade
- Kerubín Ramos - 3rd grade
- Laura Bonilla - 4th grade
- Marcella Martínez - 1st grade
- María Fernanda Colón - 1st grade
- María José Suárez - 2nd grade
- Mateo McParland - 2nd grade
- Mia Grochowski - 5th grade
- Natasha Trigo - 5th grade
- Noah Seda - 3rd grade
- Noelie Gillier - 2nd grade
- Pablo Abreu - 5th grade
- Pia Cecilia Pietrantoni - 3rd grade
- Sofía Castañeda - 4th grade
- Stella Morstad - 1st grade
- Stella Sederholm - 2nd grade
- Triana Ramírez - 4th grade
- Valentina Ramírez - 3rd grade
- Valentina Rivera - 4th grade
- Victoria Miró - 3rd grade
MUSICIANS
- Mrs. Karla Santana (Piano)
- Mr. Jonathan Martínez (Keyboard)
- Mr. Fabián Rivera (Percussion)
- Mr. Joel Bracero (Trumpet)
WILDCAT BAND
- Conductor: Mr. Jonathan Martínez
- Brian Pavón - 10th grade (Electric Bass)
- Carlos Junco - 9th grade (Baritone)
- David Alvarado - 8th grade (Tuba)
- Diane Suárez - 10th grade (Xylophone)
- Diego Rivera - 9th grade (Tenor Sax)
- Giovanni Rivera - 10th grade (Alto Sax / Minor Percussion)
- Gustavo Figueroa - 7th grade (Minor Percussion)
- Héctor Rivera - 12th grade (Electric Guitar)
- Jean Díaz - 9th grade (Trumpet)
- John Regis - 10th grade (Electric Guitar)
- Paola Artau - 12th grade (Clarinet)
WILDCAT CHOIR
- Director: Mr. Joel Bracero
- Alinés Lebrón - 10th grade
- Carolina Uribe - 10th grade
- Denelly Amparo - 6th grade
- Héctor Rivera - 12th grade
CREATIVE TEAM
- Producer: TASIS Dorado
- Director: Axel Serrant
- Assistant Director & Stage Manager: Lourdeliz Ramos
- Choreographers: Mr. Edwin Colón & Mrs. Michelle Latour
- Vocal Coach: Mrs. Karla Santana
- Wildcat Band Director: Mr. Jonathan Martínez
- Wildcat Choir Director: Mr. Joel Bracero
- Musical Arrangements: Mr. Jonathan Martínez & Mr. Joel Bracero
- Stage Set Carpenter: Noel López
- Costumes & Props: Lourdeliz Ramos & Susan Fiallo
- Production Assistants :
- Yolanda Rodríguez - 10th grade
- Hanna Colón - 6th grade
- Miranda Díaz - 9th grade
- Lia Fortuño - 9th grade
- Laia Besalduch - 9th grade
- PAC Technical Director, Sound Engineer & Projections: Henry Miranda
- Lights: Evarlyn Torres
- Tech Crew:
- Reynaldo Falcón - 10th grade
- Edmond Zacapa - 11th grade
- Orietta Lobo - 10th grade
- Yael Román - 11th grade
- Cristian Torres - 11th grade
- PAC House Manager: Félix Cotto
- Marketing, Playbill & Tickets: Michelle Yegros and Jovita Casanova
By: myegros
Photos: Terry Bava and Michelle Yegros