Canyon High’s theater program has gone above and beyond with their rendition of “West Side Story.” It brought people together on and off the stage with captivating performances that left audiences in awe.
Although the final result was amazing, what was happening backstage?
After conducting several interviews with cast members Marley Garner, Talitha Lazar, Diane Riser, and Madison Goro, I got to know a little more about the cast and how they came together to put on the show.
Beginning with Marley Garner, who played Tony, the male lead of the musical, she explained that “being on stage is always an exhilarating experience. Like I always feel like I stick out like a sore thumb unless I’m on the stage.” She also expressed how their cast worked on and off stage: “Theater is a sport in a sense, where it’s just you and a bunch of your teammates working together towards a common goal or just helping each other regardless of what happens, and you support each other through the end.”
To prepare for her character, she used what she knew to bring her character to life. Finally, she shared that her favorite part was the rumble because “I just love fight choreo, it just looked really cool.” Garner is a senior, and she has big plans for her future in performing arts. We wish you luck, Marley!
In addition, Talitha Lazar, who was Maria, the female lead of the musical, revealed that the cast was always supportive. Lazar said, “Honestly, I think working with the big cast is the best part of theater. My cast specifically always had my back, and they were so supportive from zipping up my dress to helping me get in character for different scenes.”
Lazar enjoyed playing Maria and spent a lot of time preparing for her role. She stated, “To prepare, I spent a lot of time studying the text in order to really understand what Maria was thinking.” Her favorite part of the show was the song “I Feel Pretty” because “it is such a joyful song, and I loved dancing around the stage singing about how I feel pretty.”
I also spoke with Diane Riser, who was Rosalia and part of the ensemble. Riser described West Side Story as “a classic musical about love, rivalry, and tragedy.” She also disclosed her thoughts on how the show came out: “It was seriously so satisfying seeing the finished product. West Side Story has taught me so much about theater, but after the last show, I was happy with my performance.” Her favorite part of the show was the “America” scene because she had a solo: “I was featured in it, and I had so much fun dancing and singing with my fellow Sharks!”
My last interview was with Madison Goro, who played Consuela and a part in the ensemble. She shared how “it was really amazing to be on stage with the cast, and everyone in that show is so talented, which made it very fun and easy to make “West Side Story” come to life.” Goro’s favorite scene was the dance at the gym because “that was the moment everyone was on stage together.”
These are just a few of the memorable experiences Canyon High’s talented students have created through our theater department. With many more shows to come, we cannot wait to see more of their spirits bring these productions to life.
