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PALOS VERDES HIGH SCHOOL - ISSUE 2, VOLUME 26 - NOVEMBER 4, 2021
PVHS Drama Takes the Spotlight with “Peter and the Starcatcher”
By Amber Chen opinion editor After two months of diligent work behind the scenes, the PVHS Drama Department is ready to put on another series of stellar performances, with six in total. On Nov. 5, 6, 7, 12, 13 and 14, the talented cast will be enacting their stunning rendition of the musical “Peter and the Starcatcher.” Tickets cost $20 for adults and $15 for students, and may be purchased online at www. pvhsdrama.com or at the MPR door if seats are still available. “Peter and the Starcatcher’’ tells the backstory of the legendary Peter Pan before he became a hero. In the beginning of this play, Peter is a nameless orphan only known as “Boy.” Because of his deep distrust towards adults, his only acquaintances are the orphan
boys Prentiss and Ted. As they are shipped off from Victorian England to a remote island, they encounter Molly Aster, a clever and self-assured starcatcher-in-training. Starcatchers are individuals hand-selected by the Queen to protect “starstuff,” a powerful and magical substance that must be kept out of evil hands. Molly leads the boys on a mission to protect a precious trunk of starstuff from the fearsome pirate Black Stache and his crew. After he loses his hand, Black Stache is renamed as the infamous Captain Hook. “I think this play could reach every demographic,” junior and Black Stache actor Caiden Falstrup-Finney said. “The jokes in this play and the references are really funny for the youth group and older adult people as well. I myself really enjoy the show because of the type of humor it has. It’s very out
there and very tongue-in-cheek.” Senior Michael Sprengel, who formerly has acted in TV shows, is excited to be starring as Peter in his first musical theater production. “The really cool thing about this show is that everyone is on stage, all the time,” Sprengel said. “The ensemble plays a big part this time, because [they are] on stage all the time, so they’re always being watched. Everyone’s a part of every scene.” The cast thinks the ensemble really adds something unique to the production. “Our version of this show is much more real and compact, because we have such a small cast,” Falstrup-Finney said. “Some people are playing multiple characters. You really get a sense of homeliness and you feel a close relationship with each individual character. For a play, you really want that
connection with each individual character and where they’re at in the story.” Many of the cast members have learned noteworthy lessons from the plot, whether it’s from the overall storyline or from embodying their characters. Falstrup-Finney, for example, feels that he has faced the same flaws as his character Black Stache, but has learned from the encouraging messages of the play nonetheless. “I’ve learned that things might not go your way, but you can find opportunities to change your views and what outcomes happen in your life,” FalstrupFinney said. Likewise, portraying the headstrong character of 13-yearold Molly Aster has helped junior Neela David grasp her own flaws and address them. “[Molly] grows throughout this story and realizes that not everything has to be done her
way, and that she can learn from others,” David said. “That’s something I’ve also dealt with. Especially throughout the show, I’ve learned from so many other people and I feel like I’ve learned more about myself as I’ve learned more about my character. I think I’ve grown along with Molly.” At the beginning of the play, the characters are emotionally distant and unfamiliar with each other, but as they overcome obstacles together throughout the show, they grow into a family. “I think that’s the most important thing I’ve noticed, because we actors can relate to it,” David said. “Every single time we perform together in a show, we always learn. It makes me happy to see how I’ve grown, how other people have grown and how people in the story have grown. It’s just so parallel.” Continued on page 4...
New Interim Principal to Begin After Thanksgiving By Aidan Sun editor-in-chief After serving PVHS as interim principal throughout the fall months, Carter Paysinger is returning to retirement. He is to be replaced by familiar face, Dr. Trista Ramirez, a former
associate principal and counselor at PVHS. Students and faculty were informed on Nov. 3 of Paysinger’s departure by Superintendent Dr. Alex Cherniss who offered his thanks and appreciation towards the outgoing administrator. “In his short time here
[Paysinger] has made a huge impact on our staff and students,” Cherniss said in a statement. Ramirez has served 22 years within PVPUSD, the majority of which was spent working at PVHS administration. Currently, Ramirez, who has a doctorate from the University of Southern
California, serves as PVPUSD’s Coordinator of Student Mental health and Support. The district also followed with an announcement that PVHS will not have a permanent principal until the 2022-23 school year. Instead, Ramirez, whose tenure is to begin on Nov. 29,
right after Thanksgiving Break, is set to remain as the interim principal for the remainder of the academic year. Despite the delay in selection of a more permanent hire, PVPUSD promised that “staff and community will be deeply involved” in the selection of the next PVHS principal.