[NEOPAL]Westlake High School Drama Club in the Right Direction

Tue Apr 11 10:13:55 PDT 2006

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<DIV class=RTE>Yes, it's a little after the fact.  (I've been busy)</DIV>
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<DIV class=RTE>And yes, it's not particularly a review. (I'm underqualified to give such things)</DIV>
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<DIV class=RTE>And oui, I'm a little bias'd (I acted for WHS Drama Club 6 years ago)</DIV>
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<DIV class=RTE>But, I must say, after seeing Little Shop of Horrors this weekend- that I was very, VERY impressed...</DIV>
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<DIV class=RTE>I wouldn't be in theatre today if it wasn't for Judi Spitzer.  This is a given.  She's a drama club director that teaches you about theatre in a way where you get the work done, you learn as you go, and she guides you to the information- so you retain it yourself.  That old saying?  You can guide a horse to water, but you can't make it drink?  Well, Judi could make that horse WANT to drink- that's for sure.</DIV>
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<DIV class=RTE>It was her carefree attitude, and ability to have one on one's with the kids that made a shy guy like me even attempt to audition for her.  And back in the day?  We had very little funding for a set, and Westlake made the High School drama club perform in the Middle School Auditorium.  No...  the Drama Club didn't feel a lot of love from the city of Westlake back in the day, but, I'm almost awe-struck on how much that turned around.</DIV>
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<DIV class=RTE>The new facility is tremendous.  Just having that makes the ability to do better theatre that much more accessible.  </DIV>
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<DIV class=RTE>But, the students?  WHAT HAPPENED?!  Back in the day, we were just a bunch of yuck-yucks.  Some of us had a passion for theatre (and those people excelled in auditions, and their roles) and others were just looking for comraderie.  But...  Little Shop of Horrors proved to me that there is extraordinary talent within Westlake School Systems.</DIV>
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<DIV class=RTE>I need a new prescription of contacts, I must say this.  I MUST say this.  Because, I'm 23 years old.  And I was in the back of the theatre.  I must say this.  You have to understand.  Maybe it's because I grew up with Jessica Simpson, and Britney Spears that I never understood how older men could look on these young girls and not feel like sick perverts.  I must say, I felt disturbed after I found out the ages of some of these girls.  Because, they moved, they sang, and they performed like adult women.  I must preface this that my eyesight was not 20/20, and I was in the back.  I'm not a sick-o.  I knew the girls were underage when I saw them up close.  But, on stage, they became who they aimed to become.  All right... moving on...</DIV>
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<DIV class=RTE>Have I said I was impressed?  Cuz I am.  Let me name names, because they're in high school, and they might find it cool someone actually talked about them that didn't know them...  (I know I do)  I wanted to meet these kids (and I'm a writer with a hermit problem) just to see how they really were.  Alex Jennings, and Melissa Roberts were extraordinary.  They held my attention through out the play.  And it's not like they did anything to completely make the character their own, they just were extraordinarily good at playing Seymour and Audrey.  They hit it right on the head.  </DIV>
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<DIV class=RTE>The two Chiffons- Erika Lydon and Alli Heimann, have voices that I have never heard from a high schooler before.  I just remember, sitting at the audience, and being like: Holy Sh*t.  I was not expecting it. </DIV>
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<DIV class=RTE>It was all sync'd up.  The music, the dancing, the puppet with the mouth (Why does Audrey II sound like it's from the Ghetto, by the way.  Anyone know?)  </DIV>
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<DIV class=RTE>So, to conclude.  I remember seeing Romeo and Juliet done at an East Side high school known for it's extensive theatre program.  This was my freshman year of college, so I was a year out of high school drama club at Westlake.  And I was bored out of my mind, and none too impressed.  And I was like- "if this is serious drama club?  Keep it.  I'll keep doing my under-financed, we're all friends, Mrs. Spitzer is my second mother, type theatre."  </DIV>
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<DIV class=RTE>Well, now I must say I'm very proud of Westlake.  Not only because they're producing something fun to watch (we always did this), but because they're getting the attention and the ability to do so..  If you feel like seeing High School Drama Club productions is beneath you- Give Westlake Drama Club a shot.  They really know what they're doing.</DIV>
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<DIV class=RTE>This year marks Judi Spitzer's 10th year as Westlake's Drama Club Director.  (I couldn't be more proud of my Drama Mama).  </DIV>
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<DIV class=RTE>And that is all I have to say about that,</DIV>
<DIV class=RTE>Matthew A. Sprosty</DIV>
<DIV class=RTE>Fourth Wall Productions</DIV></DIV></div></html>