After a stellar dress rehearsal last night, the FHS Players are just one day from their opening night!!!!! We invite you to meet a few more of our stars after yesterday's introduction!!! Tune in tomorrow and Friday as we finish our series and allow you to meet ALL of our stars!!!!!
Meet Our Stars!
Olivia Mills is a junior playing Johanna, who has been performing on stage for 8 years. Olivia has been dancing for about 12 years and taking vocal lessons for three. She attributes a lot of her success to mentors Christine Chiasson (her vocal teacher) and Jule Finley that have helped her grow tremendously. Olivia says that theater helps her process her emotions in a healthy and productive way. Theater has always been her happy place. Nothing is better than the lights on you when you’re up on that stage. Olivia has learned what her passion is and what she wants to do after high school. She has learned how to have resilience and self confidence. Every production helps her move closer and closer to her dream of being a professional performer that people can look up to. Her favorite memory so far was playing her first big role in Grease. She met some of the most amazing people and learned so much! Olivia plans to attend college for musical theater and minor in social work. She hopes to move to the city and pursue a career in theater.
Lilly Tusi is a junior and has been involved in theater since Shrek the Musical 7 years ago. Lilly loves seeing a show come together and the passion everyone has for it. Through this production, Lilly has learned how to sew from her mentor Lois Wood, which she thinks is pretty cool. Lilly says theater is a community of people like her who are working on projects that are bigger than themselves and out of their own motivations. It’s not for a grade, it’s about people loving theater and wanting to bring that love to the community. Lilly says everyone should see this show because the cast and crew put so much work into every aspect of it despite all the setbacks and restrictions in place.
Andy Emery is a sophomore Company member and started performing 4 years ago during The Little Mermaid. Andy loves the ability to express who you are in different ways and putting smiles on people’s faces when they watch the performance. Andy says theater is a place where you can be yourself and yet another person at the same time- willingly. You are able to not hide behind a mask for others for a while. Andy has also learned how to work with people you might not normally get along with and feel more comfortable asking questions in front of large groups. Andy says that theater has taught that with more practice, you can be anything you want to be. Andy has aspirations of joining the Navy and attending college to become a teacher. Andy also wants to take classes to become a firefighter and police officer and eventually become a police investigator.
Nick Gammel is a sophomore Company member who has been performing for a few years now. His first show was Shrek the Musical. Nick loves participating in theater because of the experience. He also loves participating in theater because you make tons of new friends, learn a lot of different things like the history of a show or the history of a time period depending on the show. Nick says that theater has taught him that you need to care about others no matter how much you may not get along. Theater is not just acting. It is a happy place where you can go and tell a story and be with people you love. For Nick, theater means the world to him because he gets to play different roles and perform and help productions come to life and tell stories in person. His favorite memory is that adrenaline rush you get on opening night and telling himself he can do it! Nick hopes to go to college to become a teacher and possibly teach theater to kids. He thanks Ariel Braggins and Haley Rogers for helping him with his training.
James Wood is a sophomore playing Mr. Fogg, who has been doing theater for about 5 years now. James loves hanging out with friends and the skills that he learns from theater, but most importantly hanging out with good people who lift each other up. James has learned that he is good at acting and has a particular skill in falling and getting hurt on stage! Theater is a great place to get together and do something that he loves and that he has in common with others. James says that his favorite memory thus far is the people he has met. His favorite show so far is Newsies, although Sweeney Todd might be better- he’ll wait to see. He thanks Mrs. Finley for challenging him with roles. Each one has allowed him to acquire further skills to perform more difficult roles. James hopes to use the skills he has attained to become a technology programmer or something in technology. James says people should see Sweeney Todd because of the hard work that has been put in and that it was all done during Covid!
Brooklyn is a sophomore Company member who started performing 4 years ago during Beauty and the Beast. Brooklyn loves seeing all the progress of the actors and the show from the beginning to the end, and seeing all the hard work everyone puts in. Brooklyn has learned what it truly takes to be a part of theater- putting in the work and effort to produce an amazing show and being able to adapt to changes and have patience. She also says that theater has taught her self confidence, adaptability and a strong work ethic. Although Brooklyn just got back into theater, she truly enjoys being a part of shows and bonding with everyone in them. They are more than just something to do. She thanks Mrs. Finley for always being there to help and give advice. Brooklyn plans to attend college and study psychology. Brooklyn says people should attend this show because it is AMAZING! Also, everyone put so much work into it, especially during all of the current situations that exist, but they have pushed through!
Leah Cote is a freshman Company member who started performing in Cinderella 6 years ago. Leah loves the people that are involved in theater. As the show progresses, everybody gets really comfortable around each other and are like a family by the end. Leah feels that theater strengthens the ability to make relationships and ask for help when needed. Also, the ability to speak comfortably in front of a lot of people. Theater means a lot to Leah as she has made many friends and putting together a play is so much fun! Leah says she would be a totally different person right now if it wasn’t for theater. Her favorite memory is Seussical. The set was colorful, the songs amazing! She remembers it fondly because she was pretty young at the time, but felt like it was comparable to a Broadway production! Leah plans to attend college somewhere in New England so she’s close to home. She plans to study biology. Leah says to come to Sweeney Todd because it’s a dark and thrilling show. She’s heard the soundtrack a hundred times and it still gives her chills!
Angelia LaBrecque is a sophomore in the Company. Her first show was a FACT show- The Little Mermaid Jr. Angelia loves everything about theater: the people, the costumes, the sets and just being on stage because it’s wonderful. Theater is something that makes her happy. It is a coping mechanism and an escape for a little bit as you get into character and do something creative in a different form. Angelia says that in theater, you learn to move quickly and adapt fast- like when you have to spell Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious! Angelia has also fallen in love with make-up through theater. She hopes to go to college after high school for make-up and cosmetology. There’s a school in Virginia she has her eye on! Angelia thanks Christie Martin for help in her vocal training. Angelia says that Sweeney Todd is a great show that deserves the attention for how much work has been put into it. It’s been way too long since we have been able to do a musical!
