“Searching for David's Heart” was originally a novel, but was turned into a play that will be performed February 22 and February 24 by the Highland Theatre Company. The show will begin at 7 p.m., followed by the Student Council Spaghetti Dinner from 4:30 to 6:30 pm. Sunday’s is set to start at 2 p.m. The production contains 17 cast members ranging from freshman to seniors, and senior Paige Fanning is directing the show. The cast rehearses every day after school to get ready for opening night.
This is a different type of show for the members of the Highland Theatre Company as it is more abstract.
“It’s a lot more interesting, I would like to think, because not only does it have the story going on, on stage between the characters, but it also involves the experiences in life of the narrator, who is a character in the show. Unlike other shows it has that different aspect to it, with the live narrator,” Fanning said.
Tickets cos $8-$10 at the door, but students can buy them early for $5 during each lunch period. If you have a ticket to the Spaghetti Dinner you can purchase a ticket to the show for a reduced price at the door.
Fanning has been performing for her family since she was young, and she continued those performances in school. This includes choir concerts, band concerts, plays, and musicals. In 6th grade, she started out in the band, but quickly made the switch to choir her 7th grade year. She has performed in at least seven shows in her high school career.
“I intend to be a musical theatre major, and I’m hoping that I can perform for the rest of my life,” Fanning said.
In performing, she has adopted many characters, but she personally connected with her first role in a high school production. This was Frankie from “Dearly Beloved.”
“That was my freshman year, and we both shared the connection of a loss of a mother so I felt very emotionally connected to her,” Fanning said.
Performing on stage is an outlet for Fanning. She uses theater as others use sports - it’s how she expresses herself to people. She is also involved in: Not Your Mother’s Improv (an improv group at Highland), the Remarkables group, and Japanese club.
“I feel like theatre really inspires people, and it inspires me to inspire others,” Fanning said.
Matthew Domasica has been working at Highland for 11 years as the Auditorium and Highland Theatre Company Director. This was his first job out of college.
Domasica attended Munster High School, and was part of the theater program there for all four years, along with speech and debate. At Munster, he worked on stage and off stage. He has helped with everything from lights to sounds, and has been cast as everything from supporting roles to leading ones.
“I basically just liked to be in the theatre, so whatever needed doing I was there to do,” Domasica said.
Domasica has been in theatre since he was in middle school, and after many performances he can say that his favorite show was “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.” He was cast as one of the main characters Pseudolus. This particular show was his favorite because it was “funny and a little bit of nonsense.”
In Domasica’s 11 years, he has worked with many different students and teachers, and has been a part of many different shows. Of these, his favorite was “Into the Woods.”
He has met so many different students while working at Highland, and that is what he likes the most.
“I work with Mrs. Arroyo, Mr. Markley and Mr. Ryser very closely through theater company, so I think the students, and the people I get to work with every day, are my favorite part about being here.”