Broadway Night was held in the theater on Jan. 28 at 7 p.m by the Aliso Niguel Theatre Company.
The performance was packed with various different hit-broadway numbers, including hits like “Guns and Ships” from “Hamilton” and “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You” from “Mama Mia!” in just the first act alone. The performance included a live band which would play the instrumentals for each of the numbers.
Many of the numbers were done as solos, with several being done as duos, trios, or even larger groups. The performance featured talented performers from all grade levels, including Claire Fincher (12), Neka Jazaeri (12), Gabby Tamraz (12), Sara Phan (11), Gab Poloyapoy (11), Kanaya Coachman (12) and many more.
The staff performed their own number as well, “One Jump Ahead” from “Aladdin.” There were also a number performed by the 4-8th graders who participated in the theater winter camp, and they performed “What is This Feeling?” from “Wicked.”
Towards the end of the second act, the newcomers had their own number, “New Money” from “The Great Gatsby.”
In the first act, they also performed a preview for their upcoming play, “Ride the Cyclone” and another one for their play, “The Pliant Girls.” Tickets for both shows are now on sale, with “Ride the Cyclone” showings on the 26th and 28th at 7 p.m. and “The Pliant Girls” on the 27th at 7 p.m. and the 28th at 2 p.m. Tickets can be purchased on their website at alisonigueltheatre.com.
At the start of the second act, they performed a preview for their Spring musical, “9-5,” encouraging the audience to go see it once tickets go on sale.
In the middle of the second act, the Aliso Niguel Theatre company held their International Thespian Society inductions and lettering ceremony.
The show ended with the seniors performing their own group number, “Mama Mia Medley.”
Jackson Cravens (11), the Resident Stage Manager, stage managed the production, employed the crew, was in charge of the audition process and chose the MCs; AKA the hosts for the show: Gab Poloyapoy (11), Nolan DaWees (11) and Sun Roellich (10). Cravens also called all the cues, controlled the lights such as the spotlights when the MCs would come on and off.
Cravens coordinated with other staff members and teachers to get everything together like the choreographers and the music, which in the end resulted in a spectacular performance where all the hard work paid off.
Cravens says, “It went pretty smoothly from the audience point of view, but backstage there were a couple of hiccups. Like there were some things that were supposed to be projected that didn’t quite work. And then we had body mics this time. I don’t recommend body mics for performances.”
Shiley Moeinzadeh (11), who performed in the staff number as well as in the number “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You” from “Mama Mia” with Kathryn Grecu Klaus (10) and Keilani Meyer (12), says, “Being a first time performer for Broadway Night, I thought Jackson did a great job organizing all the numbers and ASM’s did a good job preparing people to get ready to go on stage. I will say it was hard having only one practice beforehand with the band, because there were a lot of small changes I would have loved to make, but overall I really enjoyed it and I thought it was a great night.”
Bianca Ong Ante (11), who attended the show, says, “I really liked all the different performances and all the different genres of performances of the people that put their hard work into. Overall, it was a really good performance. I really liked it.”
