Theatre

Upper School

Upper School theatre classes are taught in a four tier Upper School curriculum that allows students to take progressive theatre courses annually. As a God-given gift, theatre invites us to explore and enjoy life, and grow in empathy and understanding of God’s image bearers. Student skill base is built upon in text analysis, script writing, characterization, and design elements. Each fall, DC Players present a play, often directed or assistant directed by students. Each spring the Upper School musical production involves almost 25% of the Upper School student body.

Productions have included among many others Fiddler on the Roof, Little Woman, Hello, Dolly!, and You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown. Yearly evaluation by the Cappie organization has seen many annual nominations and amazingly at least one award winner per year. Theatre at DC seeks to develop community and collaboration amongst artists of all kinds, moving to introspection as we evaluate ourselves and the world in which we live.

CAPPIE Nominations and Awards

CAPPIE Nominations and Awards

2023 - Fiddler on the Roof

Best Musical (nominated)
Lead Actor - Tevye: Seth Nelaturi (won)
Best Ensemble - Tevye's daughters: Annika Callan, Cassandra Stinger, Sarah Serfass, Lila Bergdoll, Miriam Creeden (nominated)
Featured Actress - the Fiddler: Candice Wang (won)
Dance Ensemble - Bottle Dancers: Sophia Dixon, Elijah Fischer, Trinity Hobaugh, Kate Myers (nominated)
Solo Dancer - Chava: Sarah Serfass (nominated)
Set Design - Luke Pulliam (nominated)
Special Effects - Levi Dentel, Tommy Goneau, Luke Pulliam (nominated)
Lighting - Bryce Cooper (nominated)
Sound - Connor Transue, Annabelle Sacks (won)

2022 - Beauty and the Beast

Comedic Actress in a Musical- Emily Chung (won)
Female Vocalist- Jazmine Scotton (won)
Male Vocalist- Jeremy Mitchell (nominated)
Solo Dancer- Sadie Serfass (nominated)
Dance Ensemble- Sarah Sax, Ainsley Serfass, Sadie Serfass, Cassie Stinger, Jada Thompson (nominated)

2020 - Cinderella

Male Vocalist- Jeremy Mitchell (nominated)
Featured Actress in a Musical- Emma Carrington (won)

2019 - Hello Dolly!

Best Musical (nominated)
Best Female Vocalist- Jordan Thompson (won)
Comic Actor in a Musical- Jake Halladay (nominated)
Supporting Actor in a Musical- Ben Doctor (nominated)
Stage Management- Caleb Goneau and Cayley Serfass (nominated)
Sets- Adelia Elliott and Crew (won)
Stage Crew (won)
Dance Ensemble (nominated)

2018 - Little Women

Musical (nominated)
Song- “Here Alone” (won)
Lead Actress in a Musical- Lauren Hackett (nominated)
Female Vocalist- Jordan Thompson (won)
Ensemble in a Musical- The March Sisters (nominated)
Marketing and Publicity- (nominated)
Costumes- (nominated)
Sets- (nominated)
Stage Management and Crew- Faith Warmhold and Caleb Chung, DC Tech Crew (nominated)

2017 - The Little Mermaid

Supporting Actress in a Musical- Jordan Thompson (won)

2016 - Mary Poppins

Outstanding 11th Grade Critic- Molly Harnish (nominated)
Sets- Caleb Goneau, Kieran Thompson, Madi Rhine, Ian Myers (won)
Featured Actress in a Musical- Abigail Simbiri (nominated)
Female Vocalist- Maya Neal (won)
Lead Actress in a Musical- Maya Neal (nominated)
Musical (nominated)

2015 - Thoroughly Modern Millie

Ensemble in a Musical- Bun Foo, Ching Ho (nominated)
Featured Actor in a Musical- Micah Skinner (nominated)
Comic Actress in a Musical- Esther Ahn (nominated)
Comic Actor in a Musical- Steve Hanson (nominated)
Supporting Actress in a Musical- Morgan Broome (nominated)
Outstanding 9th/10th Grade Critic- Joy Ashford and Molly Harnish (nominated)

2014 - Seussical

Outstanding Critic Team (nominated)
Make-up- Dayu Ouyang, Ashlyn Griest, Jin Jun, Tab Mulholland (won)
Featured Dancer-Morgan Ellis (nominated)
Female Vocalist- Eunice Lee (nominated)
Comic Actress in a Musical- Talli Gorbey (nominated)
Comic Actor in a Musical- Alex Payne (nominated)
Lead Actor in a Musical- Jon Lees (nominated)

2013 - The Sound of Music

Senior Male Critic- Bradley Warmhold (nominated)
Sets- Kate Kempf, Rachel Wynne, Trevor Stephens, Cole Smith (nominated)
Stage Crew- Zach Ellis, Monica Olshefsky, Jack Currie, Tissa Toukou (nominated)
Ensemble in a Musical- The Nuns (nominated)
Female Vocalist- Becca Hughs (won)
Song- “Climb Every Mountain” (nominated)

2012 - A Christmas Carol

Marketing and Publicity- Ian Botes and Daniel Gorbey (nominated)
Sets- Ian Botes, Anna Chovanes, Sarah Haines, Matt Stirparo (nominated)
Make-up- Amy Eichling, Kelsey Griest, Haley Newman (nominated)
Featured Actress in a Musical- Rachel Anstatt
Female Vocalist- Alex Morra (won)
Male Vocalist- Jordan Anstatt (nominated)
Lead Actress in a Musical- Becca Hughes (nominated)

2011 - Beauty and the Beast

Senior Male Critic- Ryan Miller and Daniel Phillips (nominated)
Sets- Daniel Gorby, Michael Kyne (won)
Make-up- Rose Rice, Brittany See, Abby Simmons, Caroline Tyler (nominated)
Props & Effects- James Kurtz (nominated)
Choreography- Hannah LoRosso (nominated)
Female Vocalist- Charis Haugen (nominated)
Comic Actress in a Musical- Hannah LoRosso (nominated)
Comic Actor in a Musical- Ethan Mitchell (won)
Supporting Actress in a Musical- Becca Hughes (nominated)

2010 - Fiddler on the Roof

Senior Male Critic- Issac Skinner (nominated)
Sound- Stephen Botes, Max Dubyk (nominated)
Sets- Hannah LoRosso, John Currie, Max Dubyk, Monica Olshefsky (nominated)
Ensemble in a Musical- Russion Bottle Dancers (nominated)
Comic Actress in a Musical- Bethany Ingraham (nominated)
Supporting Actress in a Musical- Jo Evans (nominated)
Lead Actress in a Musical- Sasha Dubyk (nominated)
Lead Actor in a Musical- Issac Skinner (nominated)
Musical (nominated)

2009 - Annie

Senior Male Critic- Jack Newman (nominated)
Critic Team (nominated)
Sound- Dave Bird, Efram Harkins, Caleb Olshefsky (nominated)
Sets- Jo Kinney, Issac Williams, James Comenzo, Lori Johnson (nominated)
Make-up- Kristen Murphy, Soli Choi, Vicky Morra, Kirsten Miller (nominated)
Choreography- Julie Baratta, Heather Wise (won)
Featured Actor in a Musical- Ethan Mitchell (nominated)

2008 - The Music Man

Underclassman Male Critic- Jack Newman (won)
Sets- Philip Henry, Kelsey Miller, Caleb Olshefsky (nominated)
Choreography- Julie Baratta, Laura Briggs, Melissa DiCesare (nominated)
Male Dancer- Mario Canavarro (nominated)
Comic Actress in a Musical- Jo Evans (nominated)

2007- Nicholas Nickleby

Underclassman Male Critic- Danny Langford (nominated)
Lighting- Lori Johnson (nominated)
Sets- Mike MiCanzio, Ethan Freeman, Rich Gordon, Travis Thomas (nominated)
Make-up- Elisha Chernoff, Nancy Gladfelter, Katie Halsey, Dru Koren (nominated)
Stage Crew- Ethan Freeman (nominated)
Ensemble in a Play- The Acting Troupe (nominated)
Comic Actress in a Play- Jo Evans (won)
Comic Actor in a Play- Daniel Langford (nominated)
Featured Actress in a Play- Annagrace Martin (nominated)
Play (nominated)

Middle School

Middle School makes way for theatre classes on each grade level and the annual middle school play each fall. Classes hone in on skills like pantomime, improvisation, and creating original scenes. Empathy through the creative medium of story telling reveals our need for a Savior. The large scale show in the fall traditionally incorporates 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students. They are supported backstage by a combined team of Middle School and Upper School students. Productions have included The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, and The Wizard of Oz.

Lower School

Lower School students are offered a variety of opportunities to present and perform for their peers. In small classroom plays, students learn to step beyond their own experience as they develop characterizations, and bring literature to life. In weekly chapels, they combine storytelling and music to delight and inform their peers. This develops tremendous poise and focus. In all of these formative experiences, a performance is not an end product, but a step forward in developing presence.

Each Christmas an original dramatic musical performance is presented by three of the grades and toward the end of the year the 5th grade class stages a mainstage show at the upper campus.