Bishop High School theatre club grateful for support

Bishop Union High School theatre club’s recent production of “Legally Blonde Jr.” completed its run on Nov..

19, 2023. It was amazingly successful in great part due to the community response both in attending our show and also in providing resources and assistance to make our production possible.

First, we would like to give a big thank you to alumni Grace Griego, who stepped up to do the stage direction while she was home for a short stint before leaving for Chicago to pursue her theater craft. May she be incredibly blessed and successful!

Secondly, we must thank Tanya Zaleschuck, who stepped up not only to assist with costumes but also to provide some dancing tips to assist Karen, our choreographer. She took on the responsibility of returning many of our borrowed items. In addition she donated resources (including our desk featured in several scenes, costume supplies and rehearsal support and adult supervision. This show would not have been possible without her constant presence and support.

Third, a special thanks to Karen Rivas Leon, a senior at Bishop High and a member of band and dance team as well as ASB and various other clubs on campus, who spent countless hours watching the provided choreography videos and adapting them for the amazing choreography you saw in our show.

Theatre club needs to give a big thank you to Playhouse 395 for their support. Michelle Dossey was our liaison, Donny Kunze, president, generously offered their support, and Tanya gave time in between her rehearsals for her production. They provided costuming, set pieces and personal microphones with receivers.

Next we need to thank High Country Lumber for donation of materials to build set pieces and Alex Printing for donating our poster printing, as well as The Sierra Wave for an extra boost of publicity. The Inyo Register for publishing some pictures of our show.

In addition, Tyler

Bogie built our sets and provided space for set painting. Georgia Gastelum (senior) took on the responsibility for organizing painters and painting the sets and set pieces, and designing their look and feel, as well as being the motivating push behind our raffle fundraiser, for which her mother Alicia Gastelum took responsibility helping at the tables and with organization. Tyler Bogie and Tanya Zaleschuck arranged for transport and pick up of loaned and donated materials. Shout out to Jason Crockett who assisted.

Judy Dufort at Vanity Salon donated and loaned items for our show in the costuming department. Gina Steinhoff helped with costume supplies and props. Danielle Kuhl loaned costume items for our use. Patricia Cook loaned costuming items (including a really cool pair of boots). Mary Waller, Zina Crocket’s (junior) Grandmother, made our Delta Nu shirts and costs and materials were donated by Mary and Tanya Zaleschuck, so that the Delta Nu actors could keep their shirts. Judge Brian Lamb loaned us his gavel. The

Crowder family loaned a UPS uniform, which the kids altered for greater comedy. Maddison Sanders provided pink costumes for the show for Elle. Samuel Lanane (alumni 2006) and Joy Walders (alumni 2012) came in the day before invited dress and took our headshots for the program, as well as a picture of the full cast and crew. Annette Switzer made our dinner for the cast and crew between the shows on Saturday the 4th of November. BUHS Industries headed by Will Centre made our cast shirts for us.

Jeffrey Lanan Crain (alumni 2005) taught sound board operations to Kate Anderson

(Senior), and set up the connections so that sound functioned as it should, as well as resetting the mic packs so they functioned optimally. Annie LananCrain (alumni 2010) taught

Josh Wilson in (alumni 2023) back in January who taught Tayler Currie (sophomore) how to use the light board, and she rescued us when we were short of lighting people for one show in the middle of her online finals.

We had incredible support from maintenance personnel, Brad Balent and Franz Borow, as well as many others. Joni Riggs in the office was a great help in scheduling. Administrative staff, Erik Foresman and Derek Moisant, were present during presentations of our production.

Then there are all the generous businesses which donated to our Raffle making it a complete success. Taqueria Las Palmas, The Meat House, Sage to Summit, Blue Lupin, 1903 Taphouse, Spellbinder, Mac Sporting Goods, Pupfish, La Vie Amour Boutique, Bishop Art Supply, Pino Pies, Anne Marie’s Looney Bean, Vanity Salon, C5 Studios, Luxe Salon, Amigos,

Hings Donuts, and Reagan’s Sporting Goods.

Ticketing support was provided by Amy Ablenado, Mary Hershdorfer, Amaya Hays (freshman), Harshvi Raulji, Joslyn Hernandez, Eleanor Woodall, Chevelle Collins, Julia Ablenado, Amelia Winter, and JJ Miller. Joslyn and Eleanor, as well as Anwyn Benson Hernandez (Senior), and Caleb Fitt (Sophomore) helped with putting microphones on cast members and removing them carefully.

I am certain there are those I have forgotten to thank. Our lighting crew included Tayler, Sidney Wilson and Alyssa Switzer. Our stage manager, Victoria Sanchez (Senior), is incredible and graduating this year. Her crew: Daisy Spoonhunter, Canyon Vega-Williams, Ava Cardenas, Arianna Lopez, JJ Miller and William Willcocks were an incredible group of students who kept things flowing on stage during the show and made sure things were prepped and ready to go each day before show time.

Finally, our cast

Ashley Fitt, Karen RivasLeon, Teagan Orr,

Georgia Gastelum, Sophia Stanley, Alina Parra, Julie Parra, Anwyn Benson Hernandez, Tyler Gilbert, Elan Boehme, George Brown, Kharma McKee, Zachariah Downard, Jasmine Spratt and Zina Crockett were outstanding; along with their supportive families who made sure rehearsals happened and the show was presented.

This was an amazing adventure, at times stressful for all, but absolutely worth every minute. These kids really made working with them wonderful. Behind the scenes they were supportive and encouraging of each other, and respectful of each member of the team. This community proved that it takes a village to make amazing things happen. For those of you who missed seeing or being a part of this show, please come support us next year. You don’t know what you are missing!

Diana Lanane is the Bishop Union High School VAPA Department head, choir director and theatre club advisor.