JBHS Drama Wins Multiple CETA Awards

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The John Burroughs High School cast of "The Laramie Project" won big at the annual California Educational Theatre Association awards. (Photo Courtesy Guy Myers)

The Drama department at John Burroughs High School took home several awards from the annual California Educational Theatre Association (CETA) Southern High School Festival. JBHS Drama won the top prize of Best Ensemble for The Laramie Project, in addition to numerous honors recognizing individual students and production teams.

“Congratulations to our drama students, tech students and parent volunteers for a whirlwind weekend that we will never forget!” commented Drama teacher Guy Myers. “After winning Best Play in Los Angeles for our production of The Laramie Project back in November, we were invited to compete with the three other California regions on the main stage at the festival by remounting our entire show.”

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The John Burroughs High School cast of “The Laramie Project” won big at the annual California Educational Theatre Association awards. (Photo Courtesy Guy of Myers)

“That means we went back into rehearsals, got all of our sets and costumes back, packed it all into a truck and took our show on the road. With over 60 students and 15 parent volunteers, this was truly an experience we will never forget.”

The CETA Southern High School Theatre Festival was held January 12 – 14 at Los Oso High School in Rancho Cucamonga.

Seniors Megan Mazer and KJ Powell won Best Lead Performances. They both competed in and won the senior monologue scholarship competition, as well.

Mazer received a special Adjudicator Award – each judge on the panel picks an individual actor to receive this award recognizing exceptional talent.

JBHS entered the CETA film competition for the first time. Students Claire Flynn and Daria Clark were awarded first place for their short film “Hidden Battle,” an educational piece shining a light on the struggles teenagers can have with anxiety.

The Laramie Project
JBHS Drama presents “The Laramie Project.” (Photo Courtesy of Guy Myers)

Additionally, JBHS earned 16 certificates of outstanding merit including: Outstanding Tech Crew, Outstanding Production Crew, Outstanding Ensemble, Outstanding Costume Design, Outstanding Direction, Oustanding Stage Manager – Anahi Linares and Outstanding Student Producer – Sierra Spencer.

Outstanding Acting Certificates went to: Hudson Bartram, Topli Petko, Ariana Kretz, Louis Zekowski, Megan Mazer, Eli Staub, KJ Powell, Jason Testa and Paris Stacy.

“Each director gets to give one exceptional student a Director’s Award, and I selected Sierra Spencer, our amazing student producer, for her dedication, enthusiasm and professionalism,” added Myers.

Myers also noted his appreciation for the entire Tech Crew along with teacher and advisor Jon King for helping propel the production of The Laramie Project to award-winning heights.

“It was an honor to share this story with audiences and bring home the statewide championship from over 70 participating schools!” he said.