Maddie Buckley
Staff Writer
On March 5th, Foran High School’s very own drama club wrapped up their production of FAME: the Musical. The show went well, with several great reviews from students and teachers alike. “I thought the show was amazing overall,” said Gaby Tunucci, a junior. “They all worked so hard and it really showed in the performances!” When asked who stood out to her, Tunucci said, “It’s hard to choose because everyone did so well! I thought Kristina Lazdauskas gave a very powerful performance as Carmen, and she did a great job of capturing every angle of such a complex character. Her voice also really shone in that role. I was also really happy to see Ashlinn Casey as a lead, she has such a beautiful voice!” Honors and AP Physics teacher Mr. Stern also had great things to say about the cast. “There were so many great aspects! Devon was fantastic as the overly-confident José Vegas. Jonny had a fantastic accent as Mr. Sheinkopf, the music teacher. Jaden did a wonderful dance number. The set looked really well done. There were so many wonderful performances!” When asked his favorite part, Stern said, “I thought Kristina Lazdauskas stole the show with her solo. Onstage, she sang that number with such emotion. Absolutely incredible!”
Jimi Wright, the sophomore who played Nick Piazza, a prominent acting student, was confident in the drama club’s annual production. “In my own opinion, the production went amazingly. We had great ticket sales, and we had very, very few slip-ups (If any) during our actual performances. Of course, the matinee dragged a little more than the other productions, on account of some difficult circumstances, but the cast adapted, improvised, and recovered without a moment’s lapse, which made the show in the end. Saturday night was easily our best performance, in terms of mistakes and energy alike.” On his favorite part of doing the play and how it felt to play his character, Wright said, “My favorite part about doing Fame this year was hanging out with old friends from previous productions, and making new ones throughout the rehearsals and our performances on the stage. Playing Nick was an interesting experience. The character is very professional. This role would’ve been much harder to carry out without the help of my partner Sydney, who played Serena Katz. There was an excellent chemistry between us, and among the cast as a whole.” Devon Verma, a junior who played the role of Joe Vegas, was also pleased with this year’s performance. “I think it’s the best production I’ve ever been in. It was fun and I just really enjoyed it,” said Verma. Said Verma, “with ‘Fame’ this year, it was completely different than any other show I’ve been in. Everyone really had their own time in the sun to develop their character. Joe Vegas gave me the ability to play a part of myself that I’m not really open with.” Jaden Bonfietti-Csvihinka, a Freshman who played loud-mouthed dancer Mabel Washington, said, “The production went so well. My favorite part was definitely getting to be so close with the cast. There was only 23 of us, which means it was one of the smallest shows I’ve done. It made me feel a lot closer to everyone. I’m glad I got to know everyone so well and see everyone grow on the stage. There’s really nothing I would change! The show this year set a really high standard for my next few years. I’m sad to see the seniors go, but I can’t wait for the future.”
Speaking of seniors, long-time drama club member Nicolette Simmone, who played the tough English teacher Miss Sherman, claimed to enjoy her experience this year. “My favorite part of doing Fame this year was putting all of the effort and time into my character and the show then to see the amazing outcome,” said Simone. “Kristina Lazdauskas and I choreographed the show together so it was a great experience to see it all come to life.” Nicolette also expressed sentiment when saying, “I wouldn’t change a thing for next year, our cast is incredibly talented. Since I’m a senior, I’m going to miss being with my cast all of the time and rehearsing nonstop until it was perfect. The stage is a place where I belong and I wish I could do it all again.” Overall, the production went very well. Foran’s Drama Club continues to set the bar high for upcoming productions, and many theater-goers can’t wait to see what they decide to wow us with next year!
