Instead of spending their long summers idling on the couch, four DBHS students have made the most out of their vacation by acting, directing, and performing. Rehearsing seven days a week, these students interned with Ophelia’s Jump Production at Pomona College, eventually performing and working in the Shakespearean plays “Titus Andronicus” and “Twelfth Night.”

Dedicating nearly every day of their summer for rehearsals, senior Austin Mooney, junior Miranda Tejeda, junior Julianna King, and DBHS graduate Will Nazareno worked with the company as it prepared for the two plays. After practicing for months, the students were able to perform the plays at the Shakespearean Festival from July 16 to July 26. With multiple jobs to handle in both productions, the students were able to experience the world of theatre and the production of plays outside of the classroom.

With each student given a job, it was crucial for them to always stay on their toes to fulfill their duties. Performance intern Austin Mooney had to get on stage extra early to help setup the empty theater for rehearsals. On top of being a performance director, he performed three roles in the plays.

“It’s a nice program and like last year, I’ve gained a lot of experience,” Mooney said via Facebook. “I am wetting my feet in the professional world of theatre.”

Working behind the scenes, Miranda Tejeda, an upcoming junior, was given the role as stage manager. During rehearsals, she kept track of time and took notes on the actors, sending rehearsal reports. She had to make sure that all the actors were in place so that they could start. Staying backstage, Tejeda made sure that the actors didn’t miss their cues and entrances, and also was in charge of keeping the noise level down.

“It was an amazing experience to have learned about theatre and stage managing,” Tejeda said via Facebook. “The people at Ophelia’s Jump are really great to work with because they teach you a lot.”

Junior Julianna King was the assistant costumer, so she helped out on stitching the costumes and made sure that all the actors had their outfits. She also played Young Lucious in “Titus Andronicus” and helped out on deck for “Twelfth night.”

DBHS graduate and a UCLA music performance major Will Nazareno was commissioned by the directors of both shows to write music for the Shakespeare plays. He created music that matched the time period and could provide auditory interest in moments of silence.

“Most of the music I came up with were famous songs from the time and was simply transcribed and arranged for big band ensemble,” Nazareno said via Facebook.

Getting hands-on experience in a real life theatre production has given the students another perspective on the job. All their hard work was worth it at the end, and they were able to deepen their love for theatre.

“When I grow up, I want to become a voice actor for television,” Mooney said via Facebook. “My dream is to voice a character who is a hero in the eyes of children and make a difference in their lives.”