A lifelong bond. Photo courtesy of Arts and Entertainment editor Olivia Cusick

  Students are able to learn about production and performances of plays with San Luis Obispo High School Performing Arts Company. The company has become a tight knit family in the past two years, creating friendships that span beyond the stage, and even beyond SLOHS itself.

  Expressions interviewed current and former members of SLOHS Performing Arts Company to see the connection between the company and these powerful friendships.

Expressions: How many productions were you involved with for SLOHS Performing Arts? What productions were they?

Senior Katerina Edwards: I’ve done one so far, and that was “Radium Girls”, but I am looking forward to doing the spring musical. 

Junior Téa Fischer: I’ve been in “Radium Girls”.

Sophomore Holly Speake: It’s been six productions now. I was in the technical crew for “Clue”, “Zombie Prom”, which was the 24 hour musical last year, I also did tech crew for “Much Ado About Nothing” and “Radium Girls”, and I performed in this year’s 24 hour musical. 

SLOHS 2022 Graduate Ava Walsh: I was involved in the “Addams Family”, “Midsummer Night’s Dream”, “Wizard of Oz” (Both the 24 hour and full length version), was cast in both “RENT” and “Much Ado About Nothing”, which were both canceled due to COVID-19, the virtual production of “Much Ado About Nothing” and “The Party Hop”, “Clue” and “Zombie Prom”.

Expressions: Describe SLOHS Performing Arts Company in three words.

Edwards: Hilarious, inclusive, and inspiring. 

Fischer: Amazing, energetic, and spontaneous. 

Speake: Exciting, creative, and joyful.

Walsh: Fun, community, and integral. 

Expressions: Describe your relationship with the cast and crew of the productions you were involved with.

Edwards: I feel like I’m so much closer to these people, even though I’ve only known them for two months. I feel like I’m closer to these people, then the classmates I’ve known for the last four years.

Fischer: I would say that I’ve definitely gotten to know a lot of people and our friendships have become very important to me. They are all amazing. I love them.

Speake: I love spending time with both the cast and the crew because I get to feel so much closer to them after our shows. I just get to know everyone in the cast a lot better than I did before. That helped me build a lot of relationships that I normally wouldn’t have formed. 

Walsh: I would say that my relationship with the cast and crew of every show was definitely very friendly. (They were all my peers, after all). I’ve felt close to both groups in every show, and I’ve been lucky enough to make friends with both cast and crew. Even when I got to direct the 24 hour musical, it never really felt like I was a director, or someone who was above the level of the crew and actors, because I did a lot more collaborating than ordering around. As a whole four year experience, I’ve always had a very equal and enjoyable experience with everyone in theater.

Expressions: What was your favorite memory in the company?

Edwards: The cast party was really fun. We stayed up talking until four a.m.

Fischer: All the laughter ones. There isn’t just one. Every moment I think. 

Speake: I can’t pick just one. I just love that I feel really close to my friends on the tech crew, because we all have a similar passion. It’s so much fun spending time with them, working on something we all love together. 

Walsh: My favorite memory with the company would have to be during “Clue”. I would help move the wagons around the stage in the second half of the show, and during Ms. Peacock’s dramatic monologue, where she starts shrieking, Cynthia, Jackie, and I would stand behind the wagons and dramatically lip sync and vogue to her words. In my mind, theater is all about hiding behind a dusty curtain and trying not to laugh with your friends. 

Expressions: Would you say that the company has changed your life? How so?

Edwards: Totally. I’ve found my passion for acting again. I’m thinking about minoring in theater for college. 

Fischer: I feel so much more connected with people now. 

Speake: I would say that it’s brought me more of a sense of joy and meaning to my high school experience. Before this, I’ve always done sports and activities outside of school. 

Walsh: Not to be dramatic, but I would say that the company did change my life. It was a way for me to forget the things in my life that were bothering me and focus on something positive and productive. I also made a lot of new friends, and the whole theater community became a group that I felt comforted and heard in. When everything sucked, the company was something that didn’t. I was so incredibly lucky to meet as many amazing people as I did, and I think without them, my highschool years would have been much different.

Expressions: Has SLOHS Performing Arts Company fostered new relationships with other members of the school?

Edwards: A year ago, you couldn’t have paid me money to come to school after class ended. But now I see my friends all get excited to come see me perform. It makes me feel more connected to the school. 

Fischer: I feel like I’ve met so many people, both in the show and those who came to watch. I feel really connected with everyone now. 

Walsh: SLOHS Performing Arts company definitely provided connections to people who I never would have normally met. People who I didn’t even know existed would appear backstage or in the tech booth, and boom, I became friends with them. In fact, I roped one of my now good friends, Sam Sunata, into playing the lead for Zombie Prom, right when we first met. I didn’t really know him, but after the 24 hour musical had run its course, we became fast friends. The theater is a space where people of all backgrounds can come together, and I think SLOHS’s program is a great example of that. 

Expressions: Will you continue to pursue working in theater after leaving SLOHS?

Fischer: I plan to continue working in acting. I don’t know where it will go, but I want to get as involved as I can. 

Speake: I definitely want to have some sort of involvement. I’m not sure exactly what I would want to do, but I definitely want to be involved in theater outside of high school.

Walsh: Unfortunately, I’m not pursuing a career in theater at the moment. While I hope to get involved in freelance and non career oriented productions, I ended up going into biology, which just goes to show that anybody can get involved in theater. 

  SLOHS Performing Arts Company is constantly working on new productions. To learn more about the company, follow them on Instagram @SLOHSPerformingArts or keep an eye on their website, http://www.slohsdrama.com. Students can also get involved by attending their bimonthly meeting in room 700, tuesdays at lunch. 

  Source: slohsdrama.com, instagram.com