![IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Junior Zalie Mann performs “I Love to Cry at Weddings,” an ensemble piece from the fall musical Sweet Charity, to prospective students during the Fine Arts Showcase on Wednesday, Nov. 8. The showcase is a compilation of performances and demonstrations from each fine arts strand offered at McCallum. This show is put on so that prospective students can see if they are interested in joining an academy or major.
Sweet Charity originally ran the weekends of Sept. 28 and Oct. 8, but made a comeback for the Fine Arts Showcase.
“[Being at the front in the spotlight] is my favorite part of the whole dance, so I was super happy to be on stage performing and smiling at the audience,” Mann said.
Mann performed in both the musical theatre performance and dance excerpt “Ethereal,” a contemporary piece choreographed by the new dance director Terrance Carson, in the showcase. With also being a dance ambassador, Mann got to talk about what MAC dance is, her experience and answer any questions the aspiring arts majors and their parents may have.
Caption by Maya Tackett.](https://bestofsno.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/53321803427_47cd17fe70_o-1-1200x800.jpg)
![SPREADING THE JOY: Sophomore Chim Becker poses with sophomores Cozbi Sims and Lou Davidson while manning a table at the Hispanic Heritage treat day during lunch of Sept 28. Becker is a part of the students of color alliance, who put together the activity to raise money for their club.
“It [the stand] was really fun because McCallum has a lot of latino kids,” Becker said. “And I think it was nice that I could share the stuff that I usually just have at home with people who have never tried it before.”
Becker recognizes the importance of celebrating Hispanic heritage at Mac.
“I think its important to celebrate,” Becker said. “Because our culture is awesome and super cool, and everybody should be able to learn about other cultures of the world.”
Caption by JoJo Barnard.](https://bestofsno.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/53221601352_4127a81c41_o-1200x675.jpg)
The Performing Arts Department put on the fall musical “Anything Goes” Nov. 16-18. Set on the S.S. American, a boat traveling from New York to London in 1934, “Anything Goes” follows a combination of romantic and comedic storylines.
Ziad Ben-Gacem (’25) played Billy Crocker, a hopeless young man who falls in love with Hope Harcourt, played by Eleanor Ilyas (’24). Crocker ends up on the boat trying to find a way to marry her.
The story grows complicated as Harcourt is engaged to Lord Evelyn Oakleigh, played by Danny Joseph (’26), though she can’t stop thinking about a life with Billy Crocker. Oakleigh inspired laughter and applause as an old British man trying to figure out how everything works in America and please his fiance.
Famous singer Reno Sweeney played by Clarisa Gomez Rodriguez (’24) works to help Billy Crocker with his romantic ambitions after he rejects her. To complicate things further, criminal Moonface Martin, played by Lou Michelson (’24) and his sidekick Erma, played by Kaila Brooks (’24), are attempting an escape to London to get away from the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
“Originally, I had to push to figure out my character,” Joseph said. “However, now I have come to clutch with my character.” (Laila Taraporevala)
“Working with Ziad is great because I’ve worked with him since I was in sixth grade, and he was in fifth grade,” Ilyas said. “We’ve been in musicals together for years.” (Laila Taraporevala)
“I’m playing a man in the musical, which is very different from what I normally do,” Michelson said. “It’s exciting because I’m stepping into a new version of myself I didn’t know existed.” (Laila Taraporevala)
“I think the cast is together this year,” Ilyas said. “Everything has gone smoothly so far.” (Laila Taraporevala)
“Antonio is a great person to act off of,” Turner said. “We’ve worked together on many musicals, and it’s been great to have someone so reliable that I can count on with my scenes.” (Laila Taraporevala)
“I’ve been singing ever since I was young, and it’s my way of expressing myself,” Rodriguez said. (Laila Taraporevala)
This story was originally published on The Standard on November 27, 2023.
