Eva Smith

Photo of senior banners.

Every year, Highlands Theater has students of all grades perform the shows. Each year there is usually a large number of seniors in the show, but this year they had twenty-four in total in the Highlands Theater department, and in SpongeBob, six in the cast and twelve in the crew.

Whether the seniors have been doing theater since 6th grade or this is their first show, everyone has so many memories. 

Eva Sarakatsannis (12), who played Sandy Cheeks in this year’s theater performance of Spongebob, has been in the program since middle school and shared many memories she has kept with her over the years. 

“I remember my first show, it was James and the Giant Peach and I had to crawl across stage left to get under the peach, and I remember all of the 8th graders teaching me like the pre-show traditions and I remember it being just a really fun, big show with a lot of community,” Sarakatsannis said.

No matter when or where participants started their theater career, Highlands is always so incredibly open to newcomers and that is something that draws a lot of people in. 

Shreya Vaghela (12) included, who was the assistant paint designer/lead. 

“I’ve done it because, even since I started 6th grade, I knew wantead to be in a career that was greater than myself, a collaborative effort and theater is a great community where I found most of my friends and I think continuing that is only going t open doors for me to meet like-minded people that I can share my creative ideas,” said Vaghela. 

With the varying times of starting theater, the number of shows people have done varies as well. 

There have been students who have done upwards of fifteen shows, which is the max a student can do at Highlands.

“I have done 3 shows in a crew, and somewhere around 8-10 on the cast,” Em Varland said (12). 

Along with the benefits of getting more experience in the field of theater, this program can help with many other skills as well. 

Organization skills, communication skills, and social skills are things that are greatly impacted by the theater program here at Highlands. 

“I’d have to say the community and like the things I’ve learned. I’ve learned a lot that will help me in the future like communication skills, organization, and how to be friends with other people and just get over our differences,” Evy Meyn (12) said. 

Some people will continue participating in the theater world after high school, but no matter what field students go into after they graduate, they can take teamwork, creativity, and time management skills into said field. 

“I think I will continue to do theater because it’s a lot of fun, and it’s a great community,” Liam Delaney (12) said.