News

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Musical Theater Competitions of America

On February 12, 69 students from La Colina Junior High boarded a bus for a jam-packed weekend in Anaheim and Fullerton. On Friday night, the students participated in a cattle-call audition at Fullerton College with 200 other high school and junior high students. More than 250 students auditioned and six La Colina students made the 40-person cast: Sam Brenner, Emily Grigor, Hannah Caldwell, Colin Gleason, Summer Sweeney, and Emily Paulson.

On Saturday, February 13, the students participated in a competition with nine other schools, community theater groups, and performing arts academies. The students collected the following awards for their efforts: first place in a musical theater review, Outburst (show choir ensemble) for Enchanted; second place in a musical theater review, Outburst for Rent; first place in an ensemble review: Spelling Bee (Musical Theater 8); second place in an ensemble review: Chicago (Musical Theater 8); outstanding soloists in a review, Maddy Hall (Spelling Bee), Sam Brenner (Chicago), Karlie Mack (Rent) and Travis Smelley (Rent); outstanding dancer in a review, Jenna Gutierrez (Chicago), Travis Smelley (Chicago).

Several other solo and duet students won awards: first place solo, Sam Brenner; second place, Travis Smelley; third place, Maddy Marquis; fourth place, Cole Kurth; first place duet, Maddy Marquis and Julie Cheresh; second place duet, Summer Sweeney and Colleen Murphy. Set design: first place, Patrick Knowles; second place, Estefania Contreras. Costume design: second place, Alyssa Davey; third place, Sam Brenner; fourth place, Allie Torchia.

The students in Outburst (show choir ensemble) performed on Disneyland’s Carnation Plaza Stage on Sunday evening to conclude the weekend.