AA drama students perform over summer
Eighth grade student Reese Pucciano portrayed Mean Girls JR. protagonist and leader of the Plastics, Regina George.
American Academy Performing Arts (AAPA) is a program of extracurricular instruction, activities and experiences to supplement and challenge students to excel in the performing arts. As part of the American Academy (AA) curriculum, AAPA gives drama students the opportunity to develop confidence and poise on stage. AAPA is open to all three American Academy campuses, and over the summer, the thespians received instruction from community instructors as well as the AA full-time performing arts team to put on two productions.
The students performed Matilda JR. followed by Mean Girls JR. The sold-out Matilda JR. show made a lasting impression on the audience. With only 13 days to rehearse, AAPA manager Jeremi Richardson said he was blown away at how quickly the cast learned the musical and delivered the performance with British accents. Second-grade cast member Clara enjoyed making new friends and being part of the performance. She said, “Both casts were amazing and so talented.”
Matilda’s story of the acrobat and the escapologist is the story of Miss Honey’s childhood. The escapologist (left) was played by Phoenix Finnell; third grader Grace Dauro played the acrobat (right).
The majority of the AAPA members were first-time cast members. Matilda JR. consisted of incoming kindergarteners through outgoing fifth graders, while the middle school show Mean Girls JR. included outgoing fifth graders through outgoing eighth graders. Seventh-grader Lexi shared that her favorite songs were in Mean Girls JR., and she loved how funny, serious and inspirational the story was.
The summer series may have come to end, but the love for the stage continues as many cast members, such as kindergarten student Brooks said, “I cannot wait to do another.”
A Christmas Carol will be the first holiday performance put on by AA, starring second- to eighth-grade students. Performances will run November 30 – December 3 at The Schoolhouse Theater in Parker.
Mean Girls Cast: The entire cast of Mean Girls Jr included middle school students from the Castle Pines, Lincoln Meadows, and Motsenbocker campuses.
Fifth grader Noa Richardson performed an all-out show stopping performance in her leading role as Matilda in American Academy Performing Arts’ June production of Matilda JR.
Mean Girls JR. cast members (left to right): Drew Merkel, eighth grade (Lincoln Meadows), Maggie Laird, sixth grade (Castle Pines) and Julia Actor, seventh grade (Motsenbocker).
By Julie Matuszewski; photos courtesy of Jeremi Richardson
