While the director cues for the lights, the actors ready themselves on the stage as the curtain rises to present Diamond Bar High School’s annual Children’s Theater. From Jan. 13 to 15, children from elementary schools visited DBHS to attend this event presented by Advanced Drama students.

Ever since October, Advanced Drama, advised by drama teacher Beatriz Casagran, has been working to make sure everything from costumes to scripts were prepared for this event Unlike previous years, where the play only had one storyline, Advanced Drama decided to separate the event into five short plays which were written and directed by the actors themselves.

Throughout the event, the actors made sure that the audience was involved and encouraged viewers to answer questions to receive prizes. Every play had a message which taught the children important lessons.

“It’s a really good experience for children to be a part of because they’re able to learn lessons of life,” said senior Cindy Park.

The first play, “Superdoodle,” is about two lonely children who each draw a superhero that comes to life. The four of them must come together to defeat a bully and his drawn-to-life super villain. In the end, the bully joins forces with them to turn his former villainous creation back into a drawing.

The following play, “Tina,” revolves around a girl who loves to dance, but is accidently injured from practicing the super scary splits for a recital. Luckily, with the help of her friends, Tina was able to perform a routine that touches the audiences’ hearts.

The next play was called “Carl,” which introduced a villain tired of his digital world. Carl decides to enter the human world instead, but fails after trying to adapt by acting like a good citizen.

Advanced Drama then presented “Chuckie’s Girl,” which is about a nerd—Chuckie—who begins to develop feelings for a smart girl in his class, but constantly gets rejected by her. Whenever he attempts to talk to her, a jock intercepts and bullies Chuckie. The girl eventually admits to acting dumb so her intelligence wouldn’t affect her popularity. In the end, she accepts her true self allowing Chuckie to win her love.

The final play, “I know things now” has a similar plot to “Little Red Riding Hood” It’s about a girl, Red, who doesn’t listen to her mother about the benefits of eating healthy. On her way to school, Red encounters two students who tempt her to eat junk food, causing the three to be late. The trio gets caught and the scene ends by Red singing a parody of, “Nice is Different than Good,” originally from Disney’s “Into the Woods.”

“The purpose of Children’s Theater is to expose children to theater,” senior Emily Beard said. “Getting responses from the children and the laughs, it really just makes it for me.”

Right as the children left the auditorium, they were greeted by the characters from the play as the closing ceremony.

“It was good and my favorite character was Tina,” first grader Skylar Kang commented.
Though Children’s Theater is held to entertain children and adults, it also gives a chance for Advanced Drama students to create a stronger bond with each other.
“[Children’s Theater is] a way for all of the students of Advanced Drama to get closer each other,” Park said, “It creates the Drama Family.”