Mater Dei offers a wide variety of courses and programs, one of which is the Performing Arts Program. But what is involved behind the scenes? The audience only sees the finished product, not the hours of dedication and hard work from the students and staff behind the curtains. Looking at rehearsals alone, the efforts put into these projects and productions are extraordinary. For senior Briel Jim, an Honors Chambers member, choir takes up a lot of her time.

“We have rehearsals every day, and during [some] lunches,” Jim said. “Then, every other Wednesday, we have three-hour rehearsals that [Dr. Jodi Reed, Director of Choral and Vocal Music] calls us for.”

Alongside the choir, other teams like Hip Hop also put in long hours during practices and rehearsals. With a number of dances to learn each semester, Junior Varsity Hip Hop Captain Sumayah Owens shares the amount of time she and her team practice every week.

“We have practice every red day,” Owens said. “We have practice from two to three hours. So weekly, we have practice anywhere from six [or more] hours a week.”

The Performing Arts Department also puts extensive efforts into production designs. Many of the sets are hand-made and student-led, requiring the creativity and resourcefulness of everyone involved. Director of Theatre Arts, Madison Leal, is very familiar with getting crafty.

“We have to get really creative with [the] materials and resources,” Leal said. “We dig through our own supplies and inventory before we start ordering anything, we may need off of Amazon or go to LA for the fabrics.”

While the Performing Arts staff sets up the stages and schedules, students are preparing for their on-stage performances. Rehearsals on campus are just part of the time students dedicate to honing their craft. Dedicated students like junior Nicholas Hammitt also rehearse songs, lines, and moves at home in their free time.

“At home, I would say rehearsals for myself, normally would be about an hour or two long,” Hammitt said. “Going through lines and figuring out my voice, singing, and putting acting together with my lines.”

With such a large group of performers in the program, rehearsal space can get tight, but the Theatre Department finds creative ways to adapt.
“Our room is only so big, trying to do choreography with 60 people, plus props, and fans can get very crowded,” Leal said. “So our choreographer, Ms. Zimmerman, is awesome at trying to navigate all of that. We’ll split groups of people and use outdoor spaces when we can, but usually you’ll find choreography happening in the LT (Little Theatre).”

On top of the hours and energy that go into putting on shows and dances, many of the students are involved in other activities outside the program, which add to their packed schedules.

“I’m in the National Honor Society, ASB, a bunch of different clubs, and California Scholarship Federation,” Owens said. “So that’s just a few things I’m a part of outside of Dance.”

Balancing all these extracurriculars is very important for success in school and beyond. Owens puts a lot of effort, dedication, and time into her dance while balancing extracurricular activities.

“I keep a calendar of what I need to prioritize and make sure I check things off,” Owens said. “That way, everything’s organized and runs smoothly.”

All the effort behind the scenes reveals how much heart goes into every performance. From long rehearsals to late-night set design, the Mater Dei Performing Arts Program thrives because of the passion and devotion of its students and staff. What the audience sees on stage is just the final act of months of teamwork, creativity, and commitment.