May 6, 2004

On with the show
Fire doesn’t daunt passion for performing arts at Pioneer High School

By Lorraine Gabbert
Staff Writer

Excitement was in the air at Pioneer High School as students, parents, and friends gathered together expectantly, sitting on folding chairs before an outdoor stage, awaiting the debut of “How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying.” The students’ enthusiastic performance was highlighted by the song and dance numbers, as well as Pioneer’s talented choir and orchestra.

The production of this Broadway musical was the Pioneer Drama Department’s first onsite show since a fire ravaged its Performing Arts Center (PAC) on Nov. 30. Although planning took a few months, they constructed the set in one weekend.

“We started with an empty quad early one Saturday morning,” notes Director Steve Dini, “and 10 hours later, we had a stage, lights, and a covering, and the whole setting was perfect for the show.” Although they may have temporarily lost their PAC, as Dini says, the spirit of Pioneer’s Performing Arts is very much alive, well, and full of promise as they go on with the show.

“As I stood outside our Performing Arts Center…and watched a devastating fire destroy 13 years of work in just two hours, I doubted this night would ever come,” recalls Dini. “We suddenly had no theater, no equipment, no future. I was wrong. Instead of quitting, our kids rallied. Instead of discouragement, I found parental enthusiasm. And instead of despair, I found support from our community that I did not know existed. Tonight, you are enjoying the talents of nearly 15 percent of the student body of Pioneer, the results of countless hours of work by parents and friends, and the incredible power of theater to bring people together to produce something wonderful.”

“The kids are doing a great job. They’re just shining, and that’s what it’s all about,” contends choreographer Sue Dini. “Steve is so wonderful in casting them, working with them, and getting the best out of them.” “A Secretary is Not a Toy,” is one of her favorite numbers, she says, because there are so many kids on stage, and they’re all having so much fun.

In the musical, J. Pierrepont Finch, played by Flynn O’Hare, uses an instruction book, “How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying,” along with his winning personality, quick wits, and charm to catapult his way up the corporate ladder from the mailroom to become chairman of the board of Park Avenue’s World Wide Wickets Company, Inc. Along the way, he falls in love and eventually becomes engaged to secretary Rosemary, played by Stephanie Carruth, and outsmarts the nephew of the company’s president, Bud Frump, amusingly played by Jason Kubo.

“These kids faced a lot of adversity, but they’ve come through the fire, and they’re stronger than ever,” says Dini. He especially enjoys watching Jason Kubo’s performance as Bud Frump, and Flynn O’Hare as J. Pierrepont Finch. “O’Hare was born to play his part,” Dini contends. “All the kids have really stepped up and done a wonderful job. I’m really proud of all of them.”

“I think the play’s absolutely wonderful,” states audience member Darlene Chickos. “The students are fantastic. I’m really enjoying it.”

Students Amber Jones and Addie Ford are impressed with the performance. “It’s really great,” enthuses Jones. “It’s awesome, especially with what they have to work with.” Ford agrees, “The lighting and the sound’s really amazing considering they’re without a theater,” she says. “It’s a funny show. They’re getting some good laughs,” adds Jones.

“It’s fun to see them change and grow,” comments Jane Earle who ran the music department at Castillero Middle School for years, and came back to see the kids. “To see them up on stage performing is really exciting, and I’m very proud of them.”

“We have 20 musicians behind the stage accompanying the singers and dancers,” notes musical director Ken Roberts. “We took the scores written for professionals on Broadway, and we’re playing those with our kids. They’ve worked hard and have really done a great job with it.”

“It’s so great to watch them up there dancing and performing, and having a great time,” says Kathy Ellis. Her daughter, Ashley, who is one of the dancers and sings in the chorus, has been part of Pioneer’s productions for three years. “She thinks Mr. Dini’s drama class is fantastic, and it’s one of the reasons she’s here,” commented Ellis. “The night of the fire, she was in tears, worried that it wouldn’t come back, but knowing Mr. Dini, we should have known.”

“It’s amazing, coming back after the fire, to be a part of a group that’s able to bounce back from something like that,” notes Kevin Therault, who plays J.B. Biggley, “but I just knew we would. Considering we haven’t had a stage for most of our rehearsals, and then went into this outdoor venue, it’s been really tough, but we’ve really been able to pull it off, so I’m really proud of us.”

Flynn O’Hare, who plays J. Pierrepont Finch, is delighted to be performing in “How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying.” “This is one of my favorite shows,” he says. O’Hare had no doubt they’d be back. “I’ve been in the program for four years, so I know how hard Mr. Dini works,” he asserts, “and nothing would stop him.”

“After the fire, I knew that we were all strong, and that Mr. Dini wouldn’t let us give up,” added Lauren Halliwell, who plays Miss Jones. “It was hard and emotional, but we pulled it together.”

“It’s been a lot of fun,” says Vickie Aivaliotis, who plays Smitty. “After the fire, we all came together as a cast. Performing outside was difficult at first. It was really cold, and we’d all be backstage with blankets and coffee, trying to stay warm and preserve our vocal chords, but all in all, it came together really well. It’s a great show, and we all have such a good time, and just want to give the best performance we can. Drama’s our passion, and performing is what we love to do, so I never had any doubt that we’d be back.”

“It’s been so much fun and exciting,” shares Stephanie Carruth, who plays Finch’s love interest, Rosemary. “Following the fire, I was really sad at first, and worried that we weren’t going to be able to do this, but when I found out that we were still going on, that made everything better. I didn’t care where we were going to do it, as long as we were doing it.”

The title of Carruth’s song, “I Believe in You,” seems to sum up the feelings of Director Steve Dini, the students, parents, staff, and all who were involved in making this production such a tremendous success. They never gave up their belief in each other, or what they could accomplish together.