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Welcome to what promises to be another inspirational performance by our Performing Arts Department! The performing arts captivate and unify us in an art form that epitomizes the God-given talent of our students and our faculty. Our dedicated and talented performing arts team inspires and instills a love and passion for the arts in our students. The artists before you tonight are passionately engaged and dedicated to providing you with a unique and genuine experience. “Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.” – Edgar Degas, French Artist, 1834-1917 I wish to express a heartfelt thank you to our patrons and benefactors for all the ways in which they enhance our performing arts programs by way of their exceptional generosity of time, treasure and talent. To our parents, thank you for entrusting SMCHS with your most precious gift – your children. We are honored to partner with you in their education and look forward to your continued involvement and support. I invite you now to sit back and enjoy tonight’s remarkable performance! All Good Things, J. Andrew Sulick ’91, President Welcome! I hope you are ready for another fantastic performance by one of our very talented performing arts programs! Thank you for attending and supporting the arts at Santa Margarita Catholic High School. The students enrolled in the SMCHS performing arts program are quite talented young men and women, and we are blessed they are on our high school stage. Guided and mentored by a premier group of dedicated and talented faculty, I am quite certain this performance will bring additional recognition and honor to SMCHS. As principal, I am immensely proud of these young men and women, as well as their teachers and leaders, and honored to be part of such a wonderful team. The arts are an integral part of a high school student’s life providing numerous academic, social and emotional benefits for all students. Whether through instrumental music, choir, dance, theatre, handbells, tech crew or improv, the arts provide balance and can complete a student’s whole educational experience here at SMCHS. Our Lord, through the love of Christ, has greatly blessed us with a faculty and staff who teach, inspire and lead these young men and women. Often, they are helping many of them prepare for a career in the arts. Our patroness St. Margaret Mary Alacoque stated, “May faith be the torch which illuminates, animates, and sustains you.” When experiencing the amazing gifts and talents of our students in the arts, this quote may come to mind. In every performance the SMCHS Performing Arts Department lives the school’s charism of Caritas Christi – the love of Christ – by illuminating, animating and sustaining us in many different ways. We come together with gratitude to our gracious God for the great gift of these students and educators and for you, the wonderful supporters of the program, who join us today. Caritas Christi, Cheri L. Wood, Principal “An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered. An inconvenience is only an adventure wrongly considered.” – G.K. Chesterton It has been an incredible adventure; an arduous journey filled with uncertainty surrounding a global pandemic, isolation of remote learning, and the occasional stumble into a pitfall of technology. And yet, unsurprisingly, the faculty, staff, and students of the Performing Arts Department have braved the journey with optimism and a bold readiness to step into the unknown, unafraid and resilient of whatever challenge awaits. And so it is with deepest pride and greatest pleasure that we share this particular moment of our journey with you tonight. Thank you for being here to witness and support the extraordinary efforts of these incredibly dedicated and talented people. SMCHS is proud to be the premiere Catholic high school in South Orange County. Even though the previous season was cut short last March, the Dance program received multiple first place awards in national competitions. The Vocal and Instrumental Music programs were awarded numerous trophies and superior ratings at festivals. The SMCHS Symphony Orchestra performed brilliantly at the Reneé and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall. Lastly, the Talon Theatre production of “Into the Woods” was a digital triumph. Once again, SMCHS performances were commensurate with the finest arts education institutions offered in South Orange County, and this year is no exception. Moving forward, we are extremely proud to present the 2020-2021 season. This season will surely demonstrate a newfound sense of appreciation for the artistry, talent, and excellence that is customary for SMCHS Performing Arts. It is this sense of pride, accomplishment, excellence, and community support for continued growth that inspired the creation of this program cover. Thank you to our sponsors for your generous donations. Your gift has a direct impact on the entire Performing Arts Department. Thanks to your partnership we are able to provide students with opportunities they would not have otherwise. For example, you may be watching a digital production through a streaming service that is only made possible by your generosity. Thanks to you, we can acquire better technology for our students to be able to create live digital productions. The possibilities are abundant. No matter what you give, the application of your gift goes directly into student learning experiences. Sponsorships will be printed each year and I encourage you to be a part of the growth of SMCHS Performing Arts. Your support and commitment have helped our program evolve to this level of excellence. I look forward to your ongoing partnership. The real benefactors are the young performers who bring their talents to the stage for our student body, our school parents, and the entire community. So whether you are passionate about dance, choir, handbells, theatre, steel drums, guitar, orchestra, band, eagle regiment, color guard, improv, or jazz band – Thank you for your partnership in valuing and supporting Performing Arts. Sincerely, Francisco Calvo, Director of Performing Arts Performing Arts Department Coordinator You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown director’s note By Amy Luskey-Barth, MPC The opening number of this sweet little musical goes on to list the virtues of this sometimes lost, often befuddled and always hopeful character with a heart of gold – Charlie Brown! Those virtues can be ap- plied to the students who make up the Talon Theatre community. Like the lyrics say, YOU, Talon Thea- tre, “bravely face adversity.” For over one year during this Covid-19 Pandemic you have exhibited cour- age, kindness, cheerfulness, trust, humility, nobility and a sense of honor that is very rare indeed. For we who love the theatre, the loss of live performances, communal gatherings, audience applause and re- hearsals – has left a hole in our lives. Not everyone understands this particular emptiness because, as they say, we march to a different drummer. We are energized by spending countless hours singing, dancing, acting and rehearsing. We are passionate about what we do. For the past year, the fire of that passion has not extinguished. Together, we have fanned that flame and kept theatre alive despite the adversity we have faced. In the B Courtyard, which became our adopted outdoor performance venue, the conditions have ranged from scorching sun to rain, hail and freezing temperatures. Last fall, we endured smoke, fires and evacuations. Why? Because we love what we do. If this year has taught us anything, it has made us appreciate many things that pre-Covid we took for granted. For that reason, I think “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” is the ideal musical for Talon Theatre this spring because it allows us to see the world with wonder as if through the eyes of a child. In the finale, “Happiness,” the characters express gratitude for the simple gifts of life. For me, the most touching lyric is “Happiness is singing together when day is through and happiness is those who sing with you.” Never again will we take for granted the joy that comes from singing together! I am immensely grateful to the SMCHS administration for granting us permission to perform a musical this spring. Through masks, shields, socially distanced staging, choreography and pre-recorded perfor- mance tracks, we have managed to bring this show to the stage and hopefully, bring some happiness to the community. I would like to thank my production team, Chris Winn, Annette Melosini, Casey Garri- tano, Justin Gagnon, Mike Ritchey, Todd Faux, David Tehero, Holly Nellesen and Cynthia Karim for their collaboration. This is the very same team that was forced to abandon our 2020 spring musical, Into the Woods. Each possesses “a heart of gold.” Each agreed to join me, resolved that these stu- dents be given the chance to perform live in 2021. I will never forget the journey we have shared. It has truly been a “celebration of the human spirit.” I would like to especially thank the parents and families of the cast and crew for their support and belief in the value of the arts in the lives of their children. A special shout out to the dedicated students on the design team and tech crew, for bringing the artwork of Charles Schultz to life on stage through paint, costuming, props, hair and makeup! We don’t know what next season will bring. We hope to return to the Dome. We hope that the worst of this dreadful Pandemic will be behind us. But whatever adversity we may face, by the grace of God, Talon Theatre will continue to thrive and the arts will survive! I will end by quoting lyrics from the mu- sical, A Chorus Line. “Kiss today goodbye, the sweetness and the sorrow.

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