Cadence Lusinsky has been a student at Stagelight Performing Arts for three years, and she has participated in numerous Stagelight Family Productions’ shows. She is now embarking on a new journey: college! Cadence will be attending Cal State Long Beach as a film major. We wanted to hear all about Cadence’s thoughts on her new adventure:

SPA: What interests you most about studying film?

CL: I love how film allows people to tell stories and connect with one another. I feel like it’s a creative way of learning who we all are. Film allows you to see things from different perspectives. Then you can use those perspectives to make sense of things in the real world and in your own life. I think it’s such an incredible process!

SPA: What types of activities or programs were you a part of in high school that encouraged you to become a film major in college?

CL: I was really involved in theatre. I was in my school’s theatre program for all four years, and I did shows with Stagelight Family Productions. Theatre played a huge role in my decision to study film, because it taught me to appreciate art as a way of communication. On stage, everything from the way you speak and move to the sets and lighting become pieces of art that help tell a story.

SPA: How did your training at Stagelight help you in your pursuit of attending college?

CL: Training at Stagelight has helped me realize that hard work really does pay off. By putting in time and effort, I’ve seen myself grow as a performer. I’ve come to know the importance of perseverance. I’m certain that this sense of endurance will help me throughout college.

We are so proud of you, Cadence!

Sofia Candela, 11 years old, recently played the lead role of Gertrude in Suessical the Musical at Golden Elementary. Sofia takes over four hours of classes a week at Stagelight Performing Arts, including Acting, Jazz, Musical Theatre, and Vocal Music private lessons. We at Stagelight have had the privilege of watching Sofia grow as a performer over the last two years, so we wanted to hear more about her role as Gertrude!

SPA: What do you have in common with Gertrude, the bird?

SC: Gertrude and I are both very dorky, and we both have our own sense of style. We don’t really go along with what the majority does–like Mayzie and the Bird Girls with their giant tails. Gertrude wears Converse and has her own style.

SPA: How did your Stagelight classes help you prepare?

SC: My Stagelight classes really helped because Gertrude is a big character, but she also has times where she is serious and sentimental. My Acting classes really helped with that. My Dance classes helped because Gertrude dances with very precise movements.

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

SC: I watched, I’m going to say, 10s of 100s of videos of different productions of Suessical to find out what the pool of characters was for Gertrude! When I saw Gertrude, I just fell in love with the character. I’m embarrassed to say I knew all the songs, like, 6 months in advance before auditions!

Hayley Johnson, 15 years old, has been taking classes at Stagelight Performing Arts for two years. Her class load includes Tap Dance and  Vocal Music private lessons with Ms. Darleen. Hayley just played the lead role of Kim McAfee in the Tri-School Theatre’s production of Bye, Bye Birdie.

SPA: How are you like Kim? How are you different?

HJ: Kim is a bubbly fifteen year old who is trying her very best to act like more of a mature woman than a young teen. She tries to convince herself, her parents, her friends, and even Conrad Birdie that she is no longer a child and that she knows it all. Kim and I are very different people in the sense that I know that I don’t want to grow up too fast. I love being young, and if I could stop time for just a little while, I would. Kim and I, however different, are also similar in some ways. We both love getting dressed up and being with our friends, and we both truly care about the people around us, as Kim displays while comforting the characters of Rosie and Hugo.

SPA: What special things did you do to prepare to play the role of Kim?

HJ: I spent a lot of time after being cast analyzing my lines and writing little notes on how I thought Kim would speak or what she would do while delivering the line. I also spent time sifting through many different renditions of the character and incorporating my favorite things from each into my own rendition to really try to make the character my own and give her life onstage.

SPA: How did your training at Stagelight prepare you for this role?

HJ: “Bye Bye Birdie” is a high energy show that is absolutely packed with music and dancing (and screaming teenagers). Not only have my vocal training and all of my dance experience at Stagelight helped me along the way, but the constant encouragement from my teachers to let loose and give the best performance that I possibly can have allowed me to keep up with all of the antics that come with this show. Also, I never would’ve been able to get through the grueling audition process without my training at Stagelight.