S taging C hange l e i r O e n e l r A y b n a i t s i r K h t e b a z i l E n o e l fi o r AP The lights dim down, leaving the theater in almost pitch black darkness, with an insignificant amount of light coming only from the lights-and-sound booth in the back of the room. Shushes are heard, and silence spreads through the whole theater. An announcement comes on, requesting that the audience take a moment to silence their phones to avoid any ringtones disrupting the performance. In the next few seconds, hundreds of phones are brought out, illuminating the theater much like the stars illuminate the night sky. The “stars” begin to disappear as soon as they are
silenced. This production of “Chasing Charming” is about to begin. Curtains closed, the audience sits quietly and eagerly, anticipating the start of the production being put on by Los Altos High School’s Broken Box Theater Company. The curtains part, and the lights highlight key parts of the stage. A few actors come onstage and start the scene off. Among these actors is a tall girl, who is none other than Elizabeth Anne Kristian. Closely observing her from the audience, I can see that she is wearing a purple and lilac dress. Upon closer inspection, I notice that she is holding a magic wand, and wearing fairy
wings, allowing me to safely infer that she is portraying a fairy godmother, who is often the saving grace in fairytales, rescuing characters from tough situations and dull realities. As she delivers her lines, it becomes evident that she is not simply acting like a fairy godmother. In that moment, on that stage, she is a fairy godmother. Elizabeth has always possessed a certain talent for performing arts; she accredits both of her parents for encouraging her to get into the arts at an early age. When she was in kindergarten, her parents also encouraged her to join the Girl Scouts, and through the years, it has helped instill numerous positive qualities and skills in her over the years.
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