Page 20 THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, MARCH 29, 2024 ~ Excellence in the EPS ~ State Finalists! EHS Theatre Company advances to the fi nal round of the METG Drama Festival E verett High School (EHS) has earned a place in the Massachusetts Educational Theatre Guild (METG) 2024 Drama Festival Finals, the culminating achievement in a successful multiyear eff ort to build a Theatre Company that can stand – and stage! – with any school in the Commonwealth. The achievement is as historic as it is impressive. EHS, one of the METG’s founding members in 1930, has not reached the festival fi nals since 1954 – a testament to how diffi cult it is to progress through the preliminary and semifi nal rounds of the competition. “We could not be happier for these students and faculty,” said Superintendent William Hart. “This is truly a case of being among the best of the best, and we look forward to seeing them showcase their talents to a large audience in Boston later this month.” The 2024 METG Drama Festival Finals are spread over three days – March 21-23 – at the Back Bay Events Center (180 Berkeley St. in Boston). EHS is scheduled to take the stage on Saturday, March 23, at 3 p.m., when it will stage “August and Noble.” Written by Carlos Murillo, “Augusta and Noble” is the coming-of-age story of Gabi Castillo, who lives in a vibrant Latino community in the West Town neighborhood of Chicago. Gabi is a new student at Northside College Prep, where she is quickly exposed to new people and possibilities. “This powerful piece of theater represents my community on stage,” said senior Gabrielle De Gouveia, who plays the role of Gabi Castillo. “So many of us in Everett share the story of Gabi, and her family. Many of our parents share the sacrifices of Dolores and Reymundo for the betterment of their children’s future. Hearing from other viewers of the play at Prelims and Semi’s say that they have never seen this type of story represented on stage is truly meaningful to me. It is a beautiful representation of the immigrant experience, and I hope that others feel the same way.” EHS is one of only 14 schools to punch a ticket to the METG fi nals. The festival began with 115 participating schools that competed in the preliminary round. The four highest ranked theater companies from the 13 preliminary sites advanced to the semifi - nal round, which consisted of six schools at seven locations. Only the top two schools from each semifi nal festival reached the fi nals. (EHS has a been a semifinal participant several times in recent years.) EHS Theatre Company students received nine All Star Company Awards across the preliminary and semifi nal rounds, garnering praise for all aspects of the show. Of EHS actor Gianna Rodriguez-Sanchez, a semifinal judge wrote, “Your performance as Dolores was captivating from the moment you walked on stage. You brought a maternal instinct that anchored your performance and made the backstory of your harrowing journey so believable. I found myself lost in the way you carried your character, forgetting I was watching a High School performance.” “I was immediately intrigued by what I saw with vestiges of a chain link fence and some incredible painting and graffi ti work,” a preliminary round judge said of EHS’s set design. “[To the] set construction and scenic painting crew, this was outstanding work. You created the world of the play with this practical and emblematic set.” The production of “Augusta and Noble” is directed by a faculty-led team: Artistic Director Evan DeMarzo, Scenic Director Briana Pierce, Costume Director Josephine Dougan, Theatrical Advisor Britt Mitchell and Scenic Construction Advisor Eric Pierce. The Cast and Crew Gabrielle De Gouveia Gia Price Eva Pappas Gianna Rodriguez-Sanchez Anthony Santizo Kawanne Marins Nilabhro Pal Dannie Foster Rebecca Louine Sophia Melo Everett High School (EHS) students performed “Augusta and Noble” in the Massachusetts Educational Theatre Guild (METG) Semifi nals on Saturday, March 9, 2024. The EHS Theatre Company will perform in the METG Drama Festival Finals on Saturday, March 23, 2024. Ace Donnelly Cecia Troches Cruz Milton Garcia Gonzalez Anne Souza Jack Whiting Yasmine Laabadla Alanna O’Brien Joao Vitor Demo Randy Maldonado Isabella Vaz Na’Tayeja Robinson Shane Fitzgibbon Melodie Ghiraldelli Apollo Blatt Keyly Ortega Estrada Sarah Jasmin EHS is joined by the following schools in the METG Finals: Andover High School: “Into the Sun, With Certainty.” Boston Latin School: “PLEASE LEAVE (a message).” Brockton High School: “Charley’s Aunt.” Pressure Cooker Culinary Arts students compete in ProStart invitational S ix EHS students were among the participants in the 2024 Massachusetts ProStart Invitational, which was held on February 27 at Gillette Stadium. The challenging, high-energy event was hosted by the Massachusetts Restaurant Association Education Fund and gave EHS students the chance to cook alongside nearly 100 of their peers from nine Massachusetts high schools. Juniors Derek Carreiro, Trev’on Carrington, Daniel Gracias and Anthony Sanitzo entered the team competition, in which the young chefs had to prepare a restaurant-quality three-course meal. In addition, the students had to provide their recipes, cost plans and menu pricing to the judges at the outset of the festivities. The EHS students prepared pan-seared duck, sweet potato gnocchi, watercress and a pomegranate demi-glace for an appetizer. For their entrée, they made an apple-stuffed pork loin with sweet potato, Brussels sprouts and an apple Dijon sauce. And they served a poached apple cake with apple craisin chutney, spiced walnuts and whipped cream for dessert. EHS seniors Arlo Connell and Mariela Chacon took part in the cake decorating competition. They made prebaked, two-layer, 10-inch cakes that they had one hour to decorate as beautifully and elaborately as possible. Connell fi nished third and Chacon placed 11th in the cake decorating category among 23 entrants. “My congratulations to these talented students and their instructors, Carolynn Parmenter and Corey Bourassa,” said Superintendent William Hart. “They have been working on these recipes since November, and they did a stellar job of representing Everett High School on a big stage.” The students cooked in front of judges and spectators, including Everett State Representative Joe McGonagle and former Patriots standout Patrick Chung. Framingham High School: “The Heart of Robin Hood.” Joseph Case High School: “ Icarus.” Leominster High School: “The Unravelling.” Milton High School: “Nora’s Lost.” North Reading High School: “Much Ado About Nothing.” Peabody Veterans Memorial High School: “The Whale.” Sharon High School: “Middletown.” St. John’s Prep: “Nothing/ Something.” Wayland High School: “The Everyday Adventures of Harriet Handleman (Super Genius).” Westford Academy: “Disgraced.” Tickets for the fi nals can be purchased at tickets@metg.org EHS Culinary Arts students Anthony Sanitzo, Trev’on Carrington, Derek Carreiro, Daniel Gracias, Arlo Connell and Mariela Chacon.
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