East Bradenton students return to the stage for theater performances

Chiara Diaz has been in love with theater since she was in third grade. 

Growing up, she was obsessed with watching YouTube videos behind the scenes of Lakewood Ranch High School theater productions. 

When she watched the students perform “Mamma Mia” and “The Little Mermaid” at the high school, she knew she wanted to be on that stage some day. 

But when the pandemic hit in March 2020 when she was in seventh grade, she was worried theater wouldn’t be an option for her in high school. Productions had been suspended at that time. 

“I was worried that (the pandemic) was still going to be going on, and I wouldn’t be able to perform anything,” she said.

Now a freshman at Lakewood Ranch High School, Diaz doesn't have to worry anymore. She will step on the stage for the first time April 21 during the high school’s cabaret show, "Seize the Night, It's Broadway Night."

Students at Lakewood Ranch and Braden River high schools are thrilled to be back on stage after having limited chances over the past two years due to the pandemic. Lakewood Ranch has had no live productions since the beginning of the pandemic and Braden River has had just one.

“It’s extremely refreshing to be back on stage where we can present ourselves to a good audience with such a good musical to put on stage,” said Nicole Lykiardopoulos, a senior at Braden River. 

Braden River High School students are performing “Chicago” for the spring musical April 21-23. 

“It’s fun, it’s sexy, and it brings an audience together in a unique way,” said Lauren Wampler, a Braden River High senior.

Lykiardopoulos said “Chicago” features iconic songs that are fun to bring back to life.

The cabaret show, which will be a one-night only performance April 21, will be Lakewood Ranch’s first in-person production since the pandemic began in 2020.  

“I’m looking forward to being back and seeing the audience,” said Ally Adamo, a Lakewood Ranch senior. “We’re working with our chorus, band and orchestra, so it feels like all the music departments are coming together as one. It’s nice to see because we’ve never done that before. It’s nice to see everybody working together on this.”

Lakewood Ranch students will be performing numbers from various broadway musicals, including “Tick, Tick…Boom,” “Six,” “Wicked” and “The Music Man” in the first act followed by a one-act play in the second act.

“It’s so nice you get to see all the different skill sets of all the different kids,” said Sienna Zwizinski, a Lakewood Ranch High junior. “It’s awesome to see everyone come together, especially with the cast this big. It’s nice to have everybody back and the love of arts filling the room.”

Several students are looking forward to having a live in-person audience again rather than looking into a camera or pre-recording performances for a virtual production.

“The audience is basically an actor’s fuel,” Lykiardopoulos said. “It’s what gets you going when the audience reacts and makes you feel all the more better about things. It makes you want to perform better for them. It just brings out the absolute best inside of you.”

Lakewood Ranch senior Ally Adamo and Zwizinski performed a “Zoomsical” last school year in which they pre-recorded performances from home using green screens. 

Zwizinski said having a virtual performance provides a new set of problems in comparison to performing in person including having to develop their costumes at home, working with green screens which neither of them have had experience with before and pre-recording vocals.

Adamo said having access to costumes, makeup and settings elevates performances.

“It helps to bring out your character more when you’re in costume,” Adamo said. “You kind of are like: ‘OK, wow, this is the real thing. We’re putting on a show or doing this number.’”

Adamo said in-person performances also give students more memories as they work together during rehearsals and perform in front of audiences.