Catherine Gagulashvili copy editor
Drama Lab and both Theatre Arts Workshop (TAW) classes are putting on their second annual Broadway Night on Friday, Nov. 30 in order to fundraise for the theatre program.
Dedicating a night to musical theatre, the theatre program hosts a student organized and directed performance, along with their annual silent auction.  The show also allows students, like senior Caroline German who is directing the show, to pursue leadership opportunities. German, alongside assistant directors seniors Isabella Paz and Jenna Newman, conducted auditions for Broadway Night; all upper-level theatre students were required to participate while all students were free to audition. In addition to organizing the show, German choreographed the opening and closing acts which are renditions of “Seasons of Love” from the musical Rent. German, Paz and Newman are all a part of the College Prep TAW and were driven to take on leadership positions.
“[We] have run the Beverly on Broadway Club for a couple of years now. We’re all really motivated to be on the creative team for this event because it’s surrounded by Broadway and musical theatre,” German said.
The show is divided into three acts, all of which are separated by an ongoing silent auction. Prior to the event, students from the program donated items upward of $25 to be auctioned off. The primary goal behind the auction is to raise money for the program, specifically the spring musical. According to theatre instructor Karen Chandler, the department hopes to appeal to a more adult audience to fulfill their fundraising goals
“It’s one of those things that we’re hosting not so much for other students to come, but for adults in the community to come to because it is the silent auction that brings us the money but we certainly usually always have room [for students to attend], so that’s the good part,” Chandler said.
Chandler introduced Broadway Night to Beverly two years ago. She began the program at her former high school, Carson High School in Carson, Nevada, where she taught for 24 years. While Broadway Night has become one of the main fundraising methods for the program, it has also become a great opportunity for students to showcase their talents as well as gain experience from the art of acting and directing.
“This is a bit of a more lax event to be a part of, especially because it’s student-directed, it gives the students an opportunity to direct, it gives people an opportunity to choreograph, to come up with their own material,” German said. “It’s definitely given me a perspective of organization. Teaching acting in theatre means a lot more when you can figure out how to direct, how to teach because it gives you a reason to articulate what you’re doing.”
The silent auction begins at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 30 and the performance begins at 7 p.m. Entry is $10 and the purchase of a ticket includes refreshments and desserts.