Sophomore Breanna Green actually did it, she accomplished the old adage about taking lemons and making lemonade — and her heartwarming story spotlights staff members at Natomas High School who stepped up during tough times so the show could go on … literally.
But make no mistake: Breanna was the sparkplug. Without this feisty 10th-grader, the curtain would not be rising on Natomas High’s performance of the romantic comedy “Check Please” in the school’s theater at 6 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, May 3-5. Admission is free.
Before we get too far ahead of this story, let’s rewind the tape: Months ago, Natomas High’s drama teacher unexpectedly required an extended leave of absence, leaving the school with no director and therefore no hope for a spring theater performance at Natomas High.
Then a wild idea came to Green, 16, who had taken only one beginning drama class but had fallen in love with theater: Why don’t I direct a play?
“I’m really committed to theater,” she explained. “That’s my love.”
So she used Google to acquire tips on how to be a good director.
She talked with other drama students. She approached Principal Yuri Penermon for permission. She asked faculty members if they would volunteer their time after school so that students would have the supervision required to access rehearsal facilities.
Thumbs up.
Now for a script … Breanna, president of Natomas High’s Drama Club, had attended a theater workshop at Folsom Community College last winter at which other high school actors had performed “Check Please,” which is a manageable length, about 30 minutes. She liked the play. As luck would have it, she found the script in a book at Natomas High.
Breanna subsequently called for auditions, chose a cast, selected costumes, oversaw props, scheduled rehearsals, directed the play – she even spearheaded promotion of “Check Please” and creation of the written program that will be handed out to spectators.
One of the first hurdles to overcome was dealing with the cast as a boss, not a buddy.
“I made it clear at the first rehearsal that the decisions I make now are decisions as the director, not as your friend Breanna,” she said, smiling.
It wasn’t easy to reach Wednesday’s finish line, the rising curtain, especially for a 16-year-old who also was juggling academic commitments and frequent obligations as a babysitter. Rehearsals consumed about three hours every school day for many weeks.
At times, she felt stressed out, Breanna admitted, but “it’s half and half – it’s good stress and bad stress.”
Along the way, she overcame challenges, including discomfort by an actor about one of the roles, which was tweaked to satisfy the concern, and a job shift that left one of the play’s stars unable to attend all three performances. A replacement had to be found.
Two Natomas High teachers in particular, Kim Taxara and Ving Lee, donated many hours of their time at Breanna’s behest to meet a requirement that a staff member be present while students use campus facilities after school.
Taxara downplays her role, saying she basically stood to one side and served as a cheerleader. “She rocked it,” Taxara said of Breanna.
Mr. Lee said he, too, was happy to help – both on behalf of the students and the teacher who was on leave. “It was totally worth it,” he said.
Looking back, Breanna said she’s glad she directed “Check Please” and that she plans to study theater in college. “Instead of them being my cast, they’re my family now,” she said. “I would sum it up as an amazing experience and I learned from it, a lot. I’d do it again.”
Principal Penermon said that the experience will help expand Breana’s college readiness — and that she can cite it as a challenge overcome when applying for scholarships.
“Basically, what she did is follow our code, which is to ‘rise up,’” Penermon said. “She’s risen up to do something to help us out.” He’s talked with her about her future. “She’s already forward-thinking, the kind of kid we want here in Natomas Unified – kids who are focused, who are motivation oriented, who are basically self driven,” Penermon said.
In the written “Check Please” program to be handed out to spectators, Breanna and the cast shower Natomas High’s staff with “Special Thanks” for helping make their dream come true, including:
“Ms. Taxara and Mr Lee for staying late hours to supervise our rehearsals. Mr. Rene for helping with anything we needed. Mr. Penermon and Mrs. Thom and all other staff for allowing us to make this play happen. Mr. Hebb for helping us set up our stage. Rita and all janitorial staff for keeping our theater looking spotless. (Student) Will Montgomery for helping with lights, sound and anything else we needed help with. Mrs. Saigeon for all her support and advice she gave me through this journey. And all the teachers, staff and students who support the arts.”
