The San Diego Mesa College Dramatic Arts Department held its first musical theater production and fundraiser in almost 15 years.
“You Will Be Found” was the title of the production and no auditions were held according to Emmelyn Thayer, who directed the production. “Students registered for my class, which meant that any student who signed up was automatically part of the show. They could choose to be part of the cast, work on the technical elements of the production, or both,” Thayer said. A total of 28 cast members participated in the show. It featured 14 songs from different productions that included topics of romance, friendship, breakups, loss, loneliness, self-esteem, and more. Thayer added, “I love helping students develop confidence and discover their strengths as performers. They all did so well and it was privilege to take this journey with them.”
About 100 theatergoers attended the show according to Dramatic Arts Program Director, Kris Clark, who mentioned “we had a silent auction with everything from theatre tickets to wine baskets, Beyonce concert tickets to Midway passes.” Appetizers were prepared by students enrolled in the Mesa Culinary Arts program. Proceeds from the event will benefit activities and scholarships for drama students at Mesa. “The Drama Department participates in the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival each year and the funds also support travel and registration for students attending the Festival,” Clark said.
Due to the success of the production, Mesa plans to do another similar venue next year, including a musical production and fundraiser.
