The Foran Drama Club encompasses numerous talents and artistic expressions that combine to create a spring musical performance. While the skillful actors bring the characters to life, the set design creates the world they step into, making the story flourish. The drama club’s set painters work tirelessly to ensure these sets portray an immersive world, assisting actors to dive into the show fully.
Within the paint crew, Rema Maarouf and Dabi Lee are the lead set designers for this year’s musical. They have dedicated all four years of high school to painting, and their hard work and creativity have earned them the role of set designers, along with the responsibility of bringing Seussical’s whimsical world to life.
“Over the past four years, it’s always been one of the most fun times of the year. In freshman year, all we did was paint random stuff and the upperclassmen told us what to do. Eventually, Ms Turner started getting more comfortable and gave us the artistic freedom to do what we wanted to do.” Maarouf explains.
The crew dedicates much of their time to the sets, painting once or twice during the school week and on Saturday mornings.
“We typically stay for four hours on Saturdays and two to three hours after school,” Maarouf explains. “We do that from January till the date of the performance.”
Despite set painting being a time-consuming and labor-intensive activity, the end result makes it all worthwhile.
“The people I paint with and the memories we make are always the best parts about painting. It’s always a fun mood and time. Even if we’re getting tired, we’re doing it together and that makes it fun.” Maarouf expresses.
The friendships formed among the paint crew makes the long hours feel rewarding, turning late nights and challenging moments into memories filled with laughter and teamwork. As seniors prepare to move on, the transition is bittersweet for everyone.
“I’m upset I’m not gonna be able to do the sets anymore because it’s always been the best time of the year and I’ve always looked forward to it,” Maarouf shares. “I’m confident the underclassmen next year will put in their best work and they’ll make us proud.”
Senior Devon Hines shares similar emotions, describing her time on the crew as an unforgettable experience.
“Drama painting after school was never an activity I dreaded, I thoroughly enjoyed every hour spent with those people and those sets.” she says.
For Hines, painting has always been more than just a task. It has served as both a way to express herself creativity and a way to connect with others.
“Growing up I was a very artistic kid. I loved painting, sculpting, and really just creating,” she reflects. “Somewhere along the way I’ve become a little more STEM-oriented, and a little less artistic. I joined paint crew because I needed a creative outlet. Over the years it’s also reminded me that STEM and the Arts aren’t mutually exclusive, and it gives me hope that I’ll continue to pursue more creative endeavors in addition to a career in science.”
Beyond the artistic expression, Hines values the friendship that made her experience so special.
She states, “There is so much good about painting sets for the drama club, though I’m sure it helps that the paint crew was made up of people that were already my friends or were easy to be friends with. There’s something especially gratifying about working with others towards a common goal, and to even see a visual representation of all your hard work at the end.”
While she cherishes the time spent painting, Hines is ready to pass the torch, expressing her full confidence in next year’s paint crew.
Although the crew consists of a small number of students, it is a tight-knit community filled with enthusiastic and hardworking students. The bonds formed between students of different grade levels make the departure of senior painters even more heart-wrenching.
Sophomore Sadie Grant-Eckhart shares her sadness about the seniors departing, saying, “They have made paint crew unimaginably fun and fulfilling.”
While she is a bit nervous about next year’s sets without the guidance of so many senior artists, she is determined to step up to the challenge and ensure the sets maintain their high quality.
Beyond the friendships and fun, the team takes great pride in their work. Every swirl, stripe, and carefully blended hue contributes to the magical world of Seussical, ensuring that the audience is fully immersed in the peculiar yet captivating story.
