Gabe Galiffa

What is your favorite part of the musical?

“My favorite part of the musical would definitely have to be the song “Put You in Your Place” or “DOA”. Both of those numbers have such high energy and they are so fun to perform. I would relive those two songs in a heartbeat.”

Why did you get involved with this musical?

“I have been a part of MTS since my sophomore year, and I have absolutely fallen in love with it. I’ve been doing theater since 4th grade, and I haven’t stopped since. It was kind of something that I was going to do anyway, but it also seemed like such a cool storyline with gods and demigods and I was super excited to be a part of it.”

What was the most challenging part of rehearsal?

“The most challenging part of rehearsal would definitely have to be the singing rehearsals and tech week. Mr. Liga makes sure that everything is perfect before we go on stage, and that can take up a lot of time with practicing and going over our lyrics. It can be a lot of work, but I love all of it. Tech week is also really stressful because it’s the first time we run the whole show with costumes, lighting, makeup, etc. We are also at Malvern until 9:30-10:00 at night making sure the show is perfect. It’s definitely not easy.”

Do you plan on doing this beyond high school?

“Absolutely! I have a big passion for theater and I really want to do it in college. Although I’m majoring in biology, I’m trying to find colleges that have really good theater clubs and choir programs so I can stay involved!”

Now that MTS is finished for the season, what will you miss most?

“I’m definitely going to miss the community. We all have such an insanely strong bond and we already miss each other so much. I see the guys every day so that’s nice, but I miss the girls so much. Luckily, we are still close, but it will never be the same without MTS.”

What would be your advice to someone who is thinking about joining the theatre?

“DO IT!!!!!!! If you’re in the off-season for a sport or just need something to do, do it. I can not tell you how many people have done MTS on the fly and have absolutely fallen in love with it. You meet so many amazing different kinds of people and you form a very strong bond with your castmates/crewmates. There are so many ways to get involved with the play as well. It’s also just fun! What stopping you?!”

Francis Rogai

What is your favorite part of the musical?

“My favorite thing about The Lightning Thief was either Another Terrible Day or DOA. I liked Another Terrible Day because I enjoyed Mr. D and liked how Jacob (the actor playing him) developed his part over the rehearsal process. At the same time, DOA was the big company number and it was really fun doing that dance as my character and going into the audience each night to interact with people seeing the show. The crowd was electric and gave us a lot of energy to finish the show strong.”

Why did you get involved with this musical?

“I got involved with this musical for a couple of reasons. One, I’d been in the school shows since freshman year and didn’t want to miss out on my final production with MTS. And two, Percy Jackson is one of my favorite book series. I liked getting the opportunity to play a character from that and seeing my friends fill those roles too.”

What was the most challenging part of rehearsal?

“The most challenging part of a rehearsal for me was learning the dance for DOA. There was a lot of fast movement at the same time as we were singing, and it was hard to do those movements while controlling my breathing and staying in a rhythm where my musical part was concerned. But, our process helped me get better with that and I’m happy with the performance I gave during all 4 shows.”

Do you plan on doing this beyond high school?

“Even though it won’t be my major, I do want to do college theater after high school.”

Now that MTS is finished for the season, what will you miss most?

“I’m going to miss working with our directors Dr. Fry, Mr. Liga, and Miss Emily. Each of them knows a lot about what they’re helping us accomplish and do a great job giving us the material. It’s going to feel different doing shows and not seeing them at rehearsals.”

What would be your advice to someone who is thinking about joining the theatre?

“My advice would be to give it a try. The people are all really nice and funny, and you just might find yourself doing something you really enjoy.”

Logan 

What is your favorite part of the Musical?

“My favorite part has been the people I’ve found in the MTS community. These people have become my closest friends and family.”

Why did you get involved with this musical?

“My older sister has always been very involved in theater. I saw how much she enjoyed theater and jumped on my first opportunity to join.”

What was the most challenging part of rehearsal?

“The most challenging part is creating a character. When you receive the script it doesn’t tell you how to act out the character; it just tells you what they say and a little of their actions. You then have to go through and craft an expression for each line you deliver and examine how you want to deliver it. Each of these individual deliveries must blend together and feel fluid to make your performance feel like one constant person separate from yourself.”

Do you plan on doing this beyond high school?

“I would love to partake in the theater next year; however, I’m not pursuing a theater degree, and performing will not be my main focus. If my schedule and their program permit it would be great to join in.”

Now that MTS is finished for the season, what will you miss most

“I’m going to miss seeing the community every day. During the show, you’ll spend a lot of time with the cast and grow very close to many of its members. You spend a ton of time together leading up to the show and once it ends it feels very weird not to see everyone.”

What would be your advice to someone who is thinking about joining the theater?

“Just try it! Even if you’re not the best at singing or dancing just give it a try! Not only will your skills improve, but theater is more about the experience and the energy you put out on stage.”

Tyler Kinka

What is your favorite part of the musical?

“My favorite part of the musical was the song “Drive.” It was upbeat, fun, and a  different style of song compared to the others.”

Why did you get involved with this musical?

“I have been doing musicals for 7 years now, and I have never regretted one of them.”

What was the most challenging part of rehearsal? 

“Tech week. During tech week is on campus 8 am- 9/10 pm,  we could end up running the show 1-2 times a night.”

Do you plan on doing this beyond high school?

“I plan to do theater in college, and I am excited to see what acting might do for me in the future.”

Now that MTS is finished for the season, what will you miss most?

“I will miss my MTS family, I have gotten so close to everyone, and it’s going to be very hard to fill that void in the future.”

What would be your advice to someone who is thinking about joining the theatre?

“Do It. I have talked to so many alumni, even sports guys, who regret not doing the play during their time at Malvern. Even if you aren’t thinking about doing it, do it!”