4/18/24 Novi Note

BY CHARITY MEIER cmeier@candgnews.com

Two brothers have the leading roles in this year’s Novi High School musical production of “Singin’ in the Rain,” with their sister helping in the wings.

“It’s nice. I think it’s sort of a cinematic ending — makes everything feel more real, and it’s always nice to share that with someone that you love and to be able to have those

See MUSICAL on page 6A

Senior Milan Thurman, 18, stars as Don Lockwood, while Thurman’s brother, Ishaan, 15, plays Cosmo Brown, and their sister, Shivani, 12, a seventh grader at Novi Middle School, helps with the construction of props and costumes. This will be the first and perhaps final time that all three siblings will get to work together on an NHS theatrical production, as Milan will head off to Michigan State University in the fall.

Siblings to star on and off the stage in Novi High School musical

ABOVE: Students rehearse a dance for the Novi High School production of “Singin’ in the Rain.” Pictured from left are Sophie Long, Nian Kinnard, Isabelle Shi, Lilly Balino, Milan Thurman and Ishaan Thurman.

Novi students use boxes to view eclipse

BY CHARITY MEIER cmeier@candgnews.com

Elementary school students and staff members in the Novi Community School District could be seen during the afternoon April 8 attempting to view the nearly total eclipse through homemade projectors constructed from cereal and cracker boxes.

“We had this box with, like, a pretty big hole on the top and a little dot, and we weren’t looking at it (the sun), but instead we were looking the exact opposite way so you could see it and make it not burn our eyes,” explained Zachary MacClaren, a fourth grader at Village Oaks Elementary in Novi.

The projectors consisted of cardboard boxes with one hole cut out on the left side of one end and another hole cut out on the right side with a swatch of foil cut out over it and

Photo provided by Milan Thurman

Photo by Brian Wells

A group of fourth graders use pinhole viewers to watch the solar eclipse Monday, April 8, 2024, at Village Oaks Elementary School in Novi.

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Novi teen wins local round of America & Me Essay Contest

BY CHARITY MEIER cmeier@candgnews.com

A Novi teenager won the local round of the 55th annual America and Me Essay Contest, sponsored by Farm Bureau Insurance, with an essay depicting his grandmother as his hero.

Gabriel Taverner, 14, an eighth grade student at St. Paul Lutheran School in Northville, named his grandmother, Benita Puzzuoli, of Canton, as his personal Michigan hero in the approximately 500word essay. He said she was just recently given the all-clear following a battle with acute myeloid leukemia, but throughout her battle with the disease, she never stopped following the Lord and helping others.

“I chose her because she really impacted my life even though she wasn’t feeling good,” Taverner said. “She was very strong. She was very valiant. She taught me lessons even though she was going through a hardship of her own.”

In his essay, Taverner spoke of how Puzzuoli taught him to have a strong faith in God even in the hardest times. He said that despite her illness she always has a positive attitude and puts others before herself. He stressed that his grandmother equipped him with “the wisdom of God, which gives a peace that surpasses all understanding.” He said her favorite verse is Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.”

“When I face the difficulties of this world, I know that this verse can be an anchor to my rela-

With last year in the rearview, Wildcats baseball shifts focus to 2024 campaign

BY JONATHAN SZCZEPANIAK jszczepaniak@candgnews.com

Last year was everything Novi baseball could have ever dreamed of.

Historic achievements, unlikely heroes, and intense comebacks were all part of the school’s first-ever Michigan High School Athletic Association Division 1 state championship.

So as the 2024 season begins, the Wildcats are focused on everything except one thing — what happened in 2023.

“We don’t want to talk too much about last year,” Novi head coach Rick Green said. “We’re trying to put that behind us and just move forward and get better each day. We lost some

pretty good pitchers. We won’t have Brendon Bennett because of his elbow surgery, which he had Tommy John, and we lost (Andrew) Abler and a key catcher in Brett Reed. We lost another left-handed pitcher. We have to replace 167 innings, so our goal going into the season is to win our division and then win our league, which is one thing we didn’t accomplish last year. We’ll focus on the playoffs when we get there.”

Abler, who earned first team all-state honors and was the Wildcats’ ace throughout last season, was as tough of a void as any to fill in the rotation.

Luckily for Novi, it has a lot of pitching depth with senior Boden Fernsler, senior Thad

Photo by Patricia O’Blenes

Novi junior Keegan Litkewycz makes the throw to first in an attempt to turn a double play.

Eclipse

from page 1A

a pin hole in the center of the foil. In order to view the eclipse, students and staff members placed the sun at their back and angled the box so that they could see a reflection of the eclipse on the opposite side of the box through the uncovered hole.

“Obviously, you want to be able to view the eclipse safely and as a district we decided that the safest way — and one way we could be consistent K-12 — is that we are going to go with the indirect viewing method,” said Brian Langley, Novi Community School District K-12 science coordinator in a video explaining the technique.

“This is the safest available method for viewing an eclipse. It is never safe to look directly at the Sun without certified solar viewing glasses and we want to be consistent across the ages of the district,” Superintendent Ben Mainka said in the district newsletter. “Even with certified solar viewing glasses, if they are in some way damaged, the protection they provide may not be sufficient enough to ensure no damage to the eyes.”

Shortly after 2 p.m. April 8, students at Village Oaks Elementary were brought out in small groups to view the eclipse with

their teachers and Principal Katy Dinkelman. Teachers continued to bring groups outside until approximately 3 p.m. Some of the students were able to go out twice to see the spectacle through their viewing contraptions.

The boxes had been made ahead of time by the teachers, although a handful of students chose to make their own with the help of their parents.

“Well, we couldn’t really see anything. It was kinda just a light that came in through the foil. So, like, I couldn’t really see the eclipse,”said Aubrey Smith, a fourth grade student at Village Oaks.

“On the first time we saw just this one little white dot, and then on, like, the second time, we saw, like, three of them. Instead of one, there were three. That was when it was dark,’ MacClaren said.

Smith said she thought she would see the shape of the sun and a more detailed image of what she had been told the eclipse would look like. MacClaren said he was expecting to see something similar, but had thought they would be black dots with a yellow outline.

Both children said they still enjoyed the experience and noted the difference in the light and temperature between the two intervals when they were able to go outside.

“When we went outside first, it was

warm, and then when we went outside again, it was cooler. So I liked feeling how the weather changed,” Smith said.

“Before it’s, like, so light and hot, but then when it started coming, it feels slightly colder because it’s covering a little bit of the sun,” said MacClaren.

Smith further explained how the light looked during the eclipse.

“It didn’t look like sunset really, no. It kind of was darker. Not like nighttime. It was more so kind of like cloudy, like what you kind of think about when it’s about to storm, like what that looks like,” Smith said.

“It felt like it was 7 or 6 (at night),” MacClaren said.

Along with the boxes, students were able to watch a live feed of the eclipse from NASA in their classrooms.

“We wanted to give every first grader the opportunity to see the pinhole box viewers, so we put our classes together and took turns bringing, like, four kids out at time to use the viewers,” said Jen Smith, a first grade teacher at Village Oaks.

She said there were some children who chose not to go outside, preferring to watch the live feed.

First grade teacher Briana Canedo said that the timing of the eclipse correlated well with their pending first grade curriculum lessons on the phases of the sun and moon. She

said that they did some activities to prepare the students for the eclipse.

“They did a project of, like, a spinning wheel to observe how the sun and moon changes as you spin it around,” she said.

Canedo said that she turned off the lights in her classroom during the eclipse so that her students who were inside could observe the sky becoming darker.

Jen Smith said the boxes were really simple and easy to make, but she said they didn’t necessarily provide the best view of the event.

“I can’t say they worked great, but what they saw in it, I think it’s more about the experience of what they think they saw,” Jen Smith said. “We didn’t feel comfortable with having the kids bring in glasses because of the safety factor. But a lot of them just saw the sun coming through the hole, so they would see the white dot and they would say, ‘I see it! I see it!’ And you know we were just excited that they got to see the actual thing.”

She said the kids were really excited when they saw the total eclipse hit Cleveland via the NASA live feed and really seemed to enjoy it.

“Basically, they were excited the whole afternoon. They were excited about the whole experience. Any way that they saw it, they were excited,” Jen Smith said.

Call Staff Writer Charity Meier at (586) 498-1092.

Baseball

Lawler, junior Uli Fernsler, junior Jonathan Aurilia, junior Alex Wilson, junior Gavin Przybyla, and freshman Colin Bennett expected to lead the rotation.

Juniors Alex Wilson, Keegan Litkewycz, Jaden Vondrasek and Jacob Presher are also expected to contribute innings.

Uli Fernsler was electric on the mound in the state championship game and has already carried over the momentum with a complete game in a 10-1 win over Howell where Fernsler punched out 14 and surrendered only one hit.

Aurilia is someone who possesses as good of movement on his pitches as anyone around, while Novi will lose one Bennett in the rotation and add another with Brendon’s younger brother, Colin, who can hit the upper 80s on the radar gun.

There are big names with big-time talent across the board, but Novi is hoping it has an ace up its sleeve in Przybyla, who stands 6-foot-5 and can throw in the mid-to-high 80s.

“That’s somebody (Przybyla) that really came out of nowhere,” Green said. “Maybe I wouldn’t say out of nowhere, because we had our eye on him, but he’s really polished his game in the offseason from last year. He kind of had an injury I think his freshman year, so he missed a whole year. He’s kind of getting his weight back. I think he’s a key to our

from page 3A See BASEBALL on page 10A

Peek Inside Your Health: Full Body MRI Screenings

Unveil Silent Issues Before Symptoms Arise

SOUTHFIELD- Full body MRI clinics have gained national attention lately, as TV personalities publicly share their personal full body scan experiences. One actress credits the scan for saving her life after doctors dismissed her unexplained pain for months. After various tests, including a CT scan, had “unremarkable” results, the pregnant actress became her own advocate, searched out a full body MRI clinic and discovered she had pancreatic cancer. Tanks to early detection the tumor was removed successfully.

As a general rule, when symptoms occur related to cancer, it usually has progressed to stage three or four. Even with annual physicals, there are limitations. Most screenings only

cover about 29% of cancers with 71% occurring outside of where doctors are able to screen. However, full body MRI scans can detect cancer in every organ from the top of the head through the genitals and can detect it very early. For a long time, full body MRI scans were available only in select areas outside of Michigan, requiring expensive fights like in Vancouver or California. However, this changed when a clinic opened in Southfeld, making these scans available to Metro Detroit residents.

“Our advanced MRI screening can detect cancers very early when they are as small as a pencil eraser and are more easily treatable. If cancer goes undetected, however, it can grow into stage three or stage four with difcult

treatments. We can also identify conditions such as brain, abdominal, chest, and groin aneurysms,” stated the founder of the Southfeld clinic called Bionicc Body Screening.

Te primary focus of Bionicc Body Screening is to deliver peace of mind, ofering a comprehensive and detailed imaging of the body’s internal structures. Te ultimate hope is for excellent health. However, in the event that something is detected, the advanced screening aims to catch any potential issues at their earliest stages. Tis approach ofers the best opportunity for successful treatment outcomes, should the need arise.

Robert B., age 50, opted for a full body scan from Bionicc Body Screening and a very small tumor

was detected. He said, “It saved my life. Teir MRI found a kidney tumor that had been missed by a recent CT scan. I cannot recommend this service more.”

Take the first step to learn more about full body scans by visiting www.BioniccBodyScreening.com and request a free, no obligation Information Kit. Request it today and you’re also guaranteed a copy of their FREE eBook, Catching Cancer Before It’s Too Late! (Tis is a limited time ofer.)

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MRI machines use magnets and emit no radiation.

Photo by Patricia O’Blenes Novi junior Michael Mohtadi slides into home to score a run for Novi in a matchup against Walled Lake Northern on April 5 at Novi High School.

Musical

from page 1A

experiences in common and to pass on the knowledge that you have gained to the people that you want to give it to,” Milan said of his siblings being involved in his final NHS performance.

Shivani shared her perspective on them all working together.

“I think it’s been really fun to watch them put on this role, both being the male leads, and then knowing them as my brothers, because I like to see the little aspects of who they are come out in their characters,” Shivani said. “If they are bickering onstage, I can see them actually doing that the same way at home.”

The play tells the story of a silent film star in 1920s Hollywood who falls for a chorus girl while he and his jealous screen partner are trying to transition from silent films to talkies. The production is very involved, as it incorporates tap dancing as well as the use of water to give the appearance of rain. As a result, a special stage is being constructed for the show to prevent water damage from occurring to the actual stage and to allow people to hear the tapping. The specially designed stage floor will feature slots to catch and funnel the water off the stage, and it is hollow, to allow for the sound of tapping, which is enhanced by tap mics.

According to Milan, who also acts as the show’s head of publicity and is the president of the drama club, there are seven performers who will be wearing actual tap shoes in the show, including himself and Ishaan, Hannah John — who plays Kathy — and a small dance ensemble consisting of four student dancers. The brothers said they learned tap dancing just for this show.

“We’ve maybe tapped once, like, once in our lives ever,” Milan said. “So it’s really fun, but also really scary to try this new thing and then present it to everyone.”

“I think that learning tap dancing and doing it in the show is really cool, because now I find myself, like, tapping and moving my feet sometimes just during class and when I have downtime, and I think it’s going to be a really cool and fun aspect of the show,” Ishaan said. “So it’s been great to be able to learn that.”

Milan said that it is also one of the greatest challenges of the musical, and they have doubled and tripled the dance rehearsals just to get through the play. He said that in their downtime they pull out their tap shoes and run through the choreography.

To prevent performers from slipping while dancing on a wet floor, Milan said, they limited the tapping during the two songs that will be accompanied by “rain.” He said they are limiting the running moves and stuff like that.

See MUSICAL on page 12A

Photo provided by Milan Thurman

Siblings Ishaan, 15, Shivani, 12, and Milan Thurman, 18, seen here after a choir concert last fall, will all have roles in Novi High School’s production of “Singin’ in the Rain,” with the two brothers taking on lead roles, and their sister working behind the scenes.

Students participate in Model United Nations conference

The Novi High School Model United Nations Club, consisting of 15 students and their sponsor, Eric Scopie, participated in the 23rd annual Michigan State Model United Nations Conference at Michigan State University in East Lansing March 15-17. The students competed with approximately 600 other students representing various schools across the state.

Through the NHS Model U.N. Club, students simulate the United Nations to learn about international politics and global events. Students use public speaking, reading, writing, researching and networking skills to compete in various mock U.N. conferences. According to msumun.org, the conference enables students to become active participants in the world around them while teaching them skills for life.

During the conference, Rebecca Borlace earned a book award for her work representing the Washington Post in the Tik Tok Board of Directors Crisis Committee, and Jayaram Ganesh earned an honorable mention award for his work representing Jamaica in the World Health Organization general assembly committee.

Mayor Justin Fischer to give his first State of the City address

Mayor Justin Fischer will give his first State of the City address May 1 in the Legacy Ballroom at the Suburban Collection Showplace. The event — sponsored by ITC Holdings Corp., the city of Novi and the Novi Chamber of Commerce — is scheduled to start at 7:30

NCSD mental health director to lead book discussion

RosaLeigh Johnson, the director of mental health and wellness for the Novi Community School District, will facilitate a discussion of the book “Never Enough,” by Jennifer B. Wallace, at the Novi Public Library 6:30-8 p.m. April 22.

The subtitle to “Never Enough,” which is the Novi Community Read, is “When Achievement Culture Becomes Toxic — And What We Can Do About It.”

Wallace herself will have an in-person discussion on the book 7-8 p.m. May 13 at Novi High School. Use the QR code to register for the April 22 event.

the food that their students are able to eat every day. During the dinner, various school groups and community partners will be on hand to provide information on what they have to offer. Superintendent Ben Mainka will deliver his address at 6:50 p.m.

Following the address, parents will be able to attend and participate in two of four possible 20-minute breakout sessions on the topics of school safety; a parent’s guide to cellphones, screen time and social media for kids; student mental health and wellness; and the future facilities vision for the district.

Registration is required for the event and must be completed by April 23. Complimentary child care will be provided during the event for children age 4 through sixth grade. In order for a child to attend child care, they must be potty trained. For more information, contact the district offices at (248) 449-1200.

a.m. with breakfast, followed by the mayor’s speech at approximately 8:30 a.m.

Registration is required as seating is limited.

The cost to attend the event, including breakfast, is $45 per person or $400 for a table of 10. Get tickets

NCSD to offer free webinar on dealing with children’s anxiety

The Novi Community School District is offering a free webinar for district families on the topic of anxiety in children and how parents can respond 6:30-7:30 p.m. April 23.

The webinar is part of a four-part series on mental health that the district is sponsoring. For more information and to register, contact RosaLeigh Johnson, NCSD director of mental health and wellness, at rosaleigh. johnson@novik12.org.

at novichamber.org. Those who wish to hear Fischer speak, but don’t desire to eat, can arrive at 8:30 for no charge.

The event will also be livestreamed at cityofnovi. org.

Fischer

File photo by Charity Meier

Contest

from page 3A

tionship with Christ, and it’s extra special because it is a treasured verse of hers,” Taverner wrote in his essay.

“When my only grandson, Gabriel, announced he was entering a writing contest at school, I never dreamed the topic would be about me,” Puzzuoli said. “Most importantly, what impressed me even more than his writing skills was his strong faith in God. He has been a huge part in the process of my recovery, and I’m so honored and grateful to be his grandmother.”

Taverner said he was surprised when he found out he won the local round of the contest, especially because his essay was so Christ-centered; he thought it might have been overlooked.

“Frankly, I thought that if it said it was about Christ or something, that they wouldn’t do it, but I was surprised how the Holy Spirit worked in them and they took it,” he said.

Taverner’s teacher, Angelique Chopp, said that in her 25 years of teaching, Taverner is the first student who wanted to enter this contest.

“Middle school kids are funny like that. If they don’t have to write, they don’t want to write. But Gabriel loved it,” she said.

Taverner said he was excited to participate in the contest. He said he loves writing and doesn’t see it as something that he is forced to do. He described writing as a way of expressing oneself in an artistic way, which allows him to use a vast variety of “zesty” words.

“Some people look at it as something to do — a duty, like in high school you have to write. It’s not something they look forward to, but I think the whole process researching or in this case with the experience depending on what it is, I think it’s just important to know the meaning of what you are talking about, and if it means a lot to you, then you should enjoy writing it,” Taverner said.

He said he saw the contest as an opportunity to express his joy and love for his grandmother while letting other families who are afflicted with cancer know that they are not alone.

“I was hoping for a positive impact (on others), definitely, because it’s easy to lose hope,” he said. “But you got to know that there is a savior that can pull you out of it, and here’s an example. And real-world examples definitely help.”

Taverner was one of several thousand eighth grade students from nearly 200 Michigan schools to participate in the 2023-2024 America and Me Essay Contest. The contest encourages Michigan youngsters to explore the greatness of America and its people, according to a press release.

As a local winner, he was presented with See CONTEST on page 11A

Photo by Charity Meier Gabriel Taverner, 14, of Novi, shows the plaque that he was given for winning the local round of the America & Me Essay Contest.

Photo provided by Michele Taverner Taverner takes a photo with his hero, his grandmother Benita Puzzuoli, of Canton.

Baseball

from page 5A

season, really, with how well he pitches.”

Pryzbyla is one of many southpaw pitchers at Novi’s disposal alongside Uli Fernsler, Lawler, Wilson and senior Cash Mumford.

Senior Brendon Bennett was a reliable lefty in the rotation last season, but will primarily be a designated hitter for the Wildcats after his surgery.

Dominant left-handed pitchers used to be something that didn’t come around too often at the high school level, especially at Novi, but Green said there’s been a shift over the past few years.

“It’s funny because over the years, we haven’t had any left-hander other than AJ Rowe in 2000 that threw over 80 miles an hour,” Green said. “Finally, a couple guys threw 80 or 81. Now, it’s like, and you’re right, I’ve never had so many left-handers. I used to complain about that all the time. You see these other teams like Plymouth and Canton that throw left-hander after lefthander every year. Now, I guess it’s my turn.”

While Brendon Bennett will be unable to contribute on the mound, he’s done plenty of damage already with the bat along with Wilson, the Fernsler brothers, Colin

Bennett, Aurilia, senior Caleb Walker, senior Stephen Boujoulian, junior Trevor Reed, and the rest of the Wildcats roster. From top to bottom, anyone can provide an offensive boost for Novi at any given time.

Brendon Bennett has arguably been Novi’s most consistent hitter, and he credits his offseason preparation and mindset following his injury for his transition into the season.

“I eased myself back pretty good,” Bennett said. “If you can just take it day by day and always try to feel better than the last day, it goes by faster than you think.”

Novi, currently 7-2, started off the year

with a preseason trip in late March to the Jackie Robinson Training Complex in Vero Beach, Florida, where Novi played against local teams such as Grosse Pointe South, Birch Run, Salem and Ann Arbor Pioneer.

Novi has been plagued with slow starts in the past, so Green wanted to shake things up in efforts to get his guys in the rhythm quicker prior to their season opener.

So far, it’s safe to say the trip has paid off for the Wildcats, as they’re tied for first in the Kensington Lakes Activities Association West league with a 3-1 record.

The pitching will be there for Novi — that’s a guarantee — but the only thing more

difficult than winning a state championship is defending it.

If the pitching can continue to shine and the offense follows, Novi will be a strong candidate to make it back to the state finals stage at Michigan State University.

“I think we’re good all the way around,” Brendon Bennett said. “When the bats are hot, we’re going to be dangerous. We’ll be good on the mound the whole year.”

CRIME WATCH

Credit cards stolen from locker, used at malls

A man’s credit cards and phone SIM card were stolen from his locker at Lifetime Fitness, near Haggerty and Nine Mile roads in Novi, while he worked out for approximately 15 minutes March 19.

The man told police that he went to the gym at 1:15 p.m. and rented a locker. He said he placed all his belongings in it while he had a short workout. He then claimed his things and left the facility. He said that later on that day he started to receive emails from his banks stating that there had been some fraudulent activity on his credit card accounts.

He said he then attempted to call the bank, but he couldn’t put a call through as his phone was in emergency mode after the SIM card had been stolen. He then used his wife’s phone to contact the banks and was informed that someone had attempted to use his credit card at both the Apple Store at Twelve Oaks Mall and Macy’s department store at Somerset Collection in Troy for purchases that totaled $17,459.76.

All attempted charges were denied by the credit card companies. The man has since canceled all of his credit and debit cards and has acquired a new SIM card for his cellphone. He was advised to make a police report at the Troy Police Department regarding the fraudulent charges at Somerset Collection and was given a report number.

The man told police he had not seen anyone near him when he secured his locker. Police were able to acquire still shots of the suspect from security footage at the Apple Store. Both stores provided video and still images of the suspect, which was sent to Oakland County for video enhancement and potential investigative leads on the woman’s identity. However, police were unable to identify the woman. The photos were kept on file.

Lost iPad found

A woman contacted police April 6 after accidentally leaving her silver colored eighthgeneration iPad, said to be worth $650, in a shopping cart in the Home Depot parking lot near Grand River Avenue and Beck Road in Novi.

She said that she sat the iPad down in the child seat of the cart while shopping with her husband and forgot to grab it when she returned the cart to the front of the store. On April 7, the woman contacted police again to inform them that the person who “accidentally” took the iPad contacted her and returned it. She reportedly said it was a misunderstanding.

Model phone returned to AT&T Store

A model Samsung Galaxy S2S Ultra cellphone, valued at $1,200, was taken from the AT&T Store at 26050 Novi Road in Novi April 4. A manager contacted police after noticing the phone was missing at 5:06 p.m. He stated that they last saw it at around 2 p.m. and noticed it was missing at around 4 p.m.

The manager said the phone had been completely deactivated and that he was waiting for authorization to be able to view security footage from the store’s corporate offices.

On April 5, police were informed by the manager that the phone had been returned to the store. He said a customer’s son accidentally took the phone and no prosecution is desired.

— Charity Meier

Contest

from page 8A

a certificate from the state and a plaque with his name on it to hang at the school. His essay advanced to the state competition, but it was recently announced that he didn’t make it into the top 10 who will receive recognition in Lansing next month, along with a cash prize.

“If I had 25 Gabriels, I would have the best class ever,” Chopp said. “He is extremely patient. He’s extremely polite — always polite. I’ve never heard him say

a mean thing, and this is middle school; like, these kids are brutal to each other. Not Gabriel. … He’s mature, he’s kind, he’s considerate. He’s not making fart noises like the other kids do. He is a remarkable young man. Truly one of a kind.”

“We are really proud that he is a finalist, but most especially that he chose his grandmother to write about and has shared her faith and his own in the process,” said his mother, author Michelle (M.D.) Taverner. “I think they are both such an inspiration for others in that way.”

Call Staff Writer Charity Meier at (586) 498-1092.

Musical

“We scheduled it perfectly that the two songs that it rains in are the end of act one and the end of act two, or the finale of the show, so that we have time during intermission and at the end of the show to suck up all the water and clean it up. So theoretically, (slippery conditions) should only be a problem for two to three minutes every act,” Milan said.

The Thurman siblings started performing in theater as elementary school students in performances put on at the Novi Civic Center through In the Mitten Productions. Ishaan said that he has performed with both his siblings before, but this is the first time it will be on the high school stage, and that Shivani is not performing in this, as she is not yet in high school.

“It’s good and bad (to perform with your siblings). You know, obviously, we have that sort of natural rapport. So in a lot of that Don and Cosmo dynamic, (it) is very bantery, very quick, and I think we’ve had that for years, and we’re just sort of building on it,” Milan said.

On the flip side, it can be challenging to perform with siblings.

“You’re a lot more prone to arguments with your siblings,” Milan said.

He said it is definitely much more competitive. By having his siblings in the room, he said, there is naturally a different vibe.

“It’s not necessarily a professional capacity, but it’s someone that you have to see and have to ride in the car with on your way home, so you’re trying to work as hard as you can,” Milan said.

The brothers said that, like their characters, who are best friends, they are also best friends.

According to Ishaan, Milan has paved the way for both himself and his sister to have a better understanding of theater and the various roles within the department.

“He learned about all these new things, and then when I try to do those things, I have all of his knowledge in advance, so I get to do that and even more,” he said. “There’s a lot more things you can do with experience, and he basically transferred all of his experience to mine and I’ve gained his appreciation for this theater department, especially for Mrs. (Heather) McCaig and for everyone that we have working on the play.”

“It’s really cool (to work with Ishaan and Milan) because I get to see how they do their stuff, and it’s not just what I see at home. I get to see how they interact with their friends, and I get to see how they take on a character and how they actually change from who they are with friends and at home to how they take on a character, and I think that’s just really cool,” said Shivani.

She said she used to act but now prefers to be behind the scenes. She said it is cool to be able to watch the show get put together without being a character onstage. Shivani said her brothers have taught her that theater is a really good outlet to express your emotions and to find a really good group of caring and supportive friends.

“Theater is overall an amazing thing to do,” Shivani said.

Milan said that while it’s bittersweet to perform together this time, he thinks it will be nice to see his brother take on his leadership roles within the theater department next year.

“I used to always complain when I was younger that everything I did, Ishaan did it better, because I paved the way first and I took out all the roadblocks, and then he got better than me,” Milan said.

He said that theater has allowed him to meet some of the best people and to gain skills that he thinks will be valuable in just about anywhere that he will go in life.

“I don’t see why you wouldn’t do it. It’s great and it’s got something for everyone,” he said of the theater.

Milan said that he hopes to have taught his siblings, through his trial and error, how to succeed in working with other people and some tips and tricks for success in their classes and the world.

“I hope to teach them to gain a system so that they can have more success and in turn figure out other things — exponential growth of siblings,” Milan said.

“Singin’ in the Rain” is being marketed as the classic movie with a modern take, according to Milan. Performances will be held at the Novi High School auditorium April 25-27. The Thursday performance will take place at 5 p.m., with the other two performances beginning at 7 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online at novihs.seatyourself.biz or at the door and cost $10 for seniors and those 12 and under, $12 for students, and $15 for adults.

Call Staff Writer Charity Meier at (586) 498-1092.

Vacation/Resort Properties For Rent

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Employment

Help Wanted General

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Tree Service

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DAVE'S TREE&SHRUB

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