76. News! New Troupe Director for 2008-2009.

I am so very pleased to announce that you will have a new Troupe Director for school year 2008-2009. MCS teacher Rommel Calcena has agreed to take on the responsibilities of managing the troupe.



I think this will provide students with better access to information and more encouragement, because Mr. Calcena will be in the school on a daily basis, unlike me, who as a parent volunteer only visits occasionally for meetings and such.

I hope that all of the middle school students will take advantage of the great opportunities the Junior Thespian troupe offers--a chance to compete against students from other schools, a chance to try new dramatic endeavors, and a chance to win a free trip to the International Thespian Festival held each June in Lincoln, Nebraska (at the University of Nebraska).

I'll be posting photos our three winning MCS junior thespians bring back from the ITS Festival this year, and possibly post a few more news & notes, but that will be about it from me!

Hope you all have a wonderful summer.

75. Troupe News-Induction Photos & Caesar "Review"

TROUPE NEWS: Nine MCS middle school students were inducted as junior thespians into Troupe 88799 of the International Thespian Society. The new junior thespians are Sung Woo (Jimmy) Baik, Lourence Camacho, Mariel Ferrer, Hope Gomez, Angeliya Lizama, Andrea Manese, Victor Sablan, Josie Santos, and Ginny Wu.

Troupe president Anna DLG., and troupe secretary Victoria Camacho helped with the ceremony.

Troupe member also came to support the new troupe members.

The ceremony was held before the premiere of CAESAR, the MCS theatre club's feature movie. We had to wait at the AMP visitors' center because of a minor screw-up in their scheduling of events. SIS had its 8th grade graduation ceremony scheduled for essentially the same time as CAESAR was supposed to be screened.

CAESAR: The SIS and MCS administration, teachers, students, parents, and friends worked out an amicable co-use agreement on the spot--with SIS going first, and agreeing to be as quick as possible (and still give due pomp and circumstance to the 8th grade graduates). The film-goers agreed, for the most part, to hang out in the lobby and chat, not too noisily, waiting for their turn.

I was impressed with Galvin Guerrero's easy acceptance and acommodation of the situation. Hal Easton, who came as the Chapter Director of the Thespians of the Western Pacific Islands, said that theatre people know how to roll with the punches, that the motto "the show must go on" is deeply ingrained, so that even students don't lose their cool when the power goes out in the middle of the show (as happened recently at the Multi-Purpose Center when the TWPI were performing their two one-act plays!).

And as for my impression of the MCS movie CAESAR:

Wow! It wasn't Hollywood, but it was good for a student production. The production choices worked well within the context of the movie--choosing a gritty "film noir" tone, using light and dark contrast for drama, using modified, ordinary English for much of the story but putting the words of Shakespeare in the mouths of the actors and actresses who could best pull off that level of powerful drama.

I loved the music used, although the sound was a little sketchy at times (going to loud, or too soft, and occasionally causing the actors' utterances to be inaudible or indiscernable). Some of the transitions (fades to black) seemed slow, but other transitions (cross-fades) were marvelous. I loved the use of different venues in Saipan to dramatic effect.

The story is well-known, of course, being Shakespeare. I liked that Brutus and Mark Antony were recast as women, and there was a slight love-interest aspect between Brutus and Cassius (gee, I hope I got that right. Between Letition Cabrera and John Babauta.)

This version of CAESAR will not win awards, drags a bit in the middle, and is clearly a student production, but it is well worth seeing.

Second show TONIGHT (SATURDAY 5/31) at AMERICAN MEMORIAL PARK, 7 PM.

Come and enjoy the show, and then take in dinner at the last Taste of the Marianas.

65. Congratulations to the MCS Mock Trial Team!

Great job at the national competitions!


The MCS team came in 35th place, out of 42. This may seem low, but each of the competing states/territories/countries is sending its best team, after selective competitions. So 35th place is good.

The CNMI has been sending teams since 2000. We've come in last place two times (2004)(2005), second to last place once (2000), and 3rd to last place once(2003). So go KNIGHTS! You rocked. You didn't beat the best CNMI record (24th place in 2002), but you did us proud.

And a special congratulations to Letitia Cabrera for an individual outstanding performance, too. You can read more here.

52. Nice Job, MCS Middle School Mock Trial Team!

The MCS Middle School Mock Trial team did a great job on Saturday. Billy Ocampo was the smart, organized, and persistent lead counsel, assisted by the commanding and prepared students--Carmen Borja and Rina Park. The witnesses, with great acting skill, were Frank Villagomez, Anna Rose Deleon Guerrero, and Victoria Camacho. The Mock Trial coordinators awarded certificates of recognition to Rina Park, Carmen Borja, and Frank Villagomez. Congrats!

Although there were no official "team winners," I'm glad to offer my professional opinion that the MCS middle school students beat the SIS competitors (Sev Tured, Andy Nutting, Chris Barry, Amy Hudkins and two other students.)

Here are some photos from the event.


MCS students, supported by the high school Mock Trial Team, break after a prayer before the competition begins.


The MCS High School team (coaches), eagerly await the start of the competition.



Galvin Guerrero and Joe Taijeron show relaxed confidence.



Grace Christian students sit in the courtroom, waiting for their turn. (The student in the middle is Stacia Schweiger.)

SIS competitiors (Sev Tured, Chris Barry, and ?) represent the defendant.

Carmen Borja and Billy Ocampo do a last minute review.

MCS team Rina Park, Carmen Borja, and Billy Ocampo wait, with witnesses Victoria Camacho, Anna DLG, and Frank Villagomez seated behind them.

The MCS witnesses get into character.

The opposing witnesses (Chris Barry, Amber ?, and Amy Hudkins) are all smiles, apparently unaware that "Frank Camacho" a/k/a Chris Barry is headed to jail!

MCS parent Nora Borja came to support her child.

Humanities Council director Paz Younis makes opening remarks.

Court official Glenn Mendoza lays down the rules for use of the facilities.

Mock Trial coordinator Teresa Kim explains the competition rules, while the CNMI Bar Association's Suzanne Steffey stands by.

Frank, Anna and Billy are proud and happy when the competition is over.

24. Meeting Notice & Photos

Next meeting is October 4, 2007 at 12 noon. I'm hoping this will be in Mr. G's classroom (B-102), but I'm waiting for confirmation. We'll be working on three things:

1. finalizing our script/song choices (monologue, duo, solo musical) for the first Thespian competition set for October 20;
2. brainstorming ideas for mime "stories" for the first Thespian competition; and
3. practicing introductions for the competition.

On Tuesday after school, the troupe had fun with the mime workshop, learning some basics about liquids; the 'framed' world of doors, windows, tables, shelves; small objects; complex objects; handles; and choreography/coordination.

Here are some photos:

Mr. Harold Easton, Chapter director, instructs MCS students in the art of taking a sip of tea.

Victor Sablan walks through an imaginary door.

The students get a driving lesson.

Jimmy Baik and Anna DLG. drive while the other students ride along.

It's not so easy to get out of an invisible car.

Students coordinate their actions to catch a person jumping from a burning building.

Mr. Easton and Victor move a box.


Mr. Easton adds to the list of basic topics.

MHS Thespians Tommy Baik and Moon Hyu Lee demonstrate a story through mime.

4. FIRST MCS JUNIOR THESPIANS

Congratulations to the first MCS students ever to be inducted as Junior Thespians into the International Thespian Society:

Victoria Camacho,
Anna Rose Deleon Guerrero,
Chelsei Encio,
Xandra Peter,
Kassandra Snodgrass,
Frank Villagomez, and
Lee Ann Yarobwemal

Yay! The seven Junior Thespians are in the front row of the photo below.

The induction ceremony also included twelve high school students, who were inducted into MCS's Troupe 5690--Letitia Cabrera, Francine Camacho, Erlyn Dalan, Matthew Deleon Guerrero, Hazel Doctor, Jake Igitol, Patricia Matagolai, Ryan Ortizo, Angela Salas, Cyd Tribiana, Ruby Ann Venus, and Nicolette Villagomez. Pictured above, in the second row (except for Cyd who is in the front), along with MCS Principal, and Troupe 5690 director Galvin Deleon Guerrero.

Also to be inducted, but accidentally omitted in the last-minute rush of preparations, are Mayble Ayuyu and John Babauta, Beauty and the Beast. Sorry for the mistake.

Congratulations on the ITS honor.

Yay for the high school Thespians! You inspire the MCS junior thespians.

3. Waiting for Confirmation about the Induction Ceremony

The induction of our first members is tenatively set for June 1, 2007 on the MCS campus. I'm waiting on confirmation from Mr. G., who is inordinately busy at this time of the year. Stay tuned for the news.

1. Mount Carmel's Middle School Joins ITS

Mount Carmel School has created a middle school Thespian troupe that is now chartered by the International Thespian Society (ITS). Troupe 88799 is for 6th, 7th, and 8th graders interested in or active in dramatic arts. The MCS troupe will join the other CNMI schools in our chapter: Thespians of the Western Pacific Islands (TWPI).

MCS Principal Galvin Guerrero organizes and directs the MCS theatre activities. This troupe will start with a groupe of students he has chosen for special recognition for outstanding participation in dramatic arts. The troupe director is a parent-volunteer (me): Jane Mack.

By being a member of the troupe, MCS middle-school students will get recognition for their theatre activities at MCS and in the community. They can also participate in CNMI-wide thespian competitions and activities. Each year, TWPI/PSS sends the students who win the competitions with the highest total competition-point count to the national ITS festival & competition in Lincoln, Nebraska. Troupe members who do not win can attend the ITS festival at their own expense. Troupe activities next year will focus on participating in the local competitions, and developing and recognizing our middle school drama students.

This blog is designed to be a forum for troupe members, parents, MCS students and any other interested people to find out about troupe activities and how to support our students.

Hafa adai and congratulations to the newest Junior Thespians at MCS. Look for the announcement of their names here.