Featured Student in the Stagelight: Savannah

Savannah Clayton, 14 years old, has been a student at Stagelight Performing Arts since our first season. She has performed in many Stagelight Productions’ shows, but she recently played the coveted role of Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz. We wanted to know all about her experience “over the rainbow,” so we caught up with her to ask our questions!

SPA: What was your favorite thing about playing Dorothy?

SC: I liked that little kids looked up to me, like I look up to the kids older than me. I also liked that I got to be on stage most of the time and share the talent God gave me.

SPA: What did you do to prepare for this role?

SC: I wrote out my songs and wrote what they meant to me to help me with my emotions. I watched the movie and previous Stagelight versions of the show.

SPA: What was the most challenging part about playing Dorothy?

SC: The most challenging part was probably trying to balance my school work and memorize all my lines.

SPA: In what ways are you similar to Dorothy?

SC: I am similar to Dorothy because she is brave and adventurous.

SPA: In what ways did your classes at Stagelight help you with this role?

SC: Ms. Danielle and Ms. Lindsey helped me grow in acting and have really helped me over all. Ms. Rene helped me prepare all my songs and know them well.

Well done, Savannah!

Featuring Students in the Stagelight: Ella and Soraya

Stagelighters Ella Davies and Soraya Corydon are playing the part of the Prissy Cow in Chino Children’s Community Theatre’s Jack and the Giant, running October 20 – November 11. We caught up with these girls to ask them all about their experience in working together to play one part in the show.

SPA: Tell me a little bit about the show and the part you’re playing.

ED: We are playing the Prissy Cow in Jack and the Giant!

SC: Yeah, I’m the front of the Cow, and Ella has to hold on to me to play the back of the Cow.

ED: We say “Moo” a lot.

SPA: What has been the most exciting part of the rehearsal process?

SC: Probably learning how to dance while Ella’s holding on to me… trying to spin together is really hard!

ED: I think it’s fun to practice with someone else, like we’re the same character.

SPA: How have your classes at Stagelight prepared you for this show?

ED: I’ve learned a lot of acting skills so it’s made me better at making sure I’m facing the audience and rehearsing more seriously.

EC: The jazz class I’m taking is helping me pick up choreography quickly.

We wish these two Stagelighters a great run in Jack and the Giant. Visit chinocommunitytheatre.org  for tickets and more information about the show.

Student in the Stagelight: Ashley Jones

Ashley Jones, 15 years old, has been attending Stagelight Performing Arts since 2015 and has taken a variety of Musical Theatre, Acting, Improv, and dance classes. She is currently a sophomore at El Dorado High School  and was recently cast in the theatre department’s play, The Laramie Project. We asked her all about her role in this show:

SPA: Tell us a little about the play.

AJ: The Laramie Project is a dramatic play about the aftermath of the brutal beating of Matthew Shepard, a gay college student in Laramie Wyoming.

SPA: What role are you playing? How are you like your character, and how are you different?

AJ: I play five different roles. Two of the main ones are Amanda Gronich, one of the members of the company who wrote the play, and Marge Murray, the mother of the police officer that finds Matthew. I am most like Amanda in that she enjoys the theatre but doesn’t know how to tackle this new thing. I am not like Marge really because I don’t know what it is like to be a mother.

SPA: Did you do anything specific to prepare for this role?

AJ: I watched multiple documentaries on what happened in Laramie and looked up my characters because they were real people who were affected by this.

SPA: How have your classes at Stagelight helped you prepare for this role?

AJ: My acting for camera class has helped me the most to prepare for this role. The cold reading skills for the audition and rehearsals was so important.