COMMUNITY NEWS
Where to Drop Off Your Ballot B allots have already been mailed to Santa Cruz County voters for the June 7 election, and the Elections Department has set up 24-hour drop boxes at the following locations: • Aptos — Resurrection Church, 7600 Soquel Drive. • Aptos — Cabrillo College parking lot R by stadium, 3732 Cabrillo College Dr. • Aptos — Polo Grounds near the dog park, 2255 Huntington Drive • Ben Lomond — Highlands Park, 8500 Highway 9 • Boulder Creek — Community Church, 12465 Highway 9 • Capitola — 420 Capitola Ave. in the City Hall parking lot • Capitola — Mall parking lot, 1855 41st Ave., near Capitola Rd entrance • Capitola — Library, 2005 Wharf Road • Corralitos — Community Center - 35 Browns Valley Road • Felton — Covered Bridge Park parking lot, Mt. Hermon and Graham Hill Road • Los Gatos — Summit Store, 24197 Summit Road
• Santa Cruz — 701 Ocean St. in front of the County Government Center • Santa Cruz — 212 Church St. in the public parking lot #16 • Santa Cruz — UCSC Quarry Plaza • Scotts Valley — 1 Civic Center Drive in the City Hall parking lot • Watsonville — 316 Rodriguez St in municipal public parking lot 14 • Watsonville — County Health Center parking lot, 1432 Freedom Blvd. Other options include: • Return your ballot in person before and including Election Day at the County Elections Office or any of the City Clerks’ offices. • Return it to a voter service center, open Saturday, May 28, to Tuesday, June 7. • Mail it so it is received on time — ballots postmarked on or before Election Day and received by June 14 will be considered received on time. n ••• Information: https://www.votescount.us/ Home/Elections/June2022CaliforniaPrimaryElection/BallotDropBoxes.aspx
Cabrillo Stage Presents A Fresh Take on a Familiar Story: ‘Grease’
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By Mindy Pedlar
assie Nordgren directs and choreo- artistic director of Center REP in Walnut graphs Cabrillo Stage’s summer Creek,” she explained. “He is wonderfully production of Grease. She comes quirky and creative. I was brought in to from a very musical family. Not only choreograph transitions on David Ives’ adapare her father and uncles musicians, her tation of The Liar. Under Michael’s direction, mother owns and operates an acclaimed I got to choreograph these wildly fun scene changes that turned the cast into rock stars dance academy near Oakland. Cassie took her first official dance class using ‘60s French pop songs, all while moving pieces of scenery. To receive an at age 3, but she began giving “Outstanding Choreography” recitals at home as soon as she nomination by Theatre Bay Area could walk. for my work on the transitions in In Cassie’s words, “Dance that play was just the cherry on has been a part of my life for as top of an extremely rewarding long as I can remember. I think experience. “ I first realized my love of storyCassie also is an accomtelling on stage in 7th grade when plished director in the process of I was cast as Clara in The NutCassie Nordgren obtaining a master’s degree in cracker. It was my first time being on stage for more than a 3-minute song, and I directing from Baylor University. In describing her artistic vision for LOVED it. I am not sure if I fully recognized Clara’s character arc at that point in my theat- Grease, Cassie says, “There are two big ideas rical journey, but I remember enjoying being guiding this production. The first is nostalgia. Most people don’t know this, but the script a character as much as dancing a character.” When asked which choreography of Grease actually starts at a high school award has been most meaningful, she reunion with Miss Lynch, Eugene, and Patty replied that it’s more about the project than welcoming everyone and reminiscing about the years gone by. It’s a weak framing device, the award. “I have twice had the opportunity to but I have chosen not to cut it because I think collaborate with Michael Butler, the former it is a great reminder that this show is looking
back in time, at an era when life was simple and music was rockin.’ There are some things that the characters do or say in this show that we as humans living in 2022 wouldn’t do or say today. The second idea is acceptance.
Universally, that is what high school is about, right? Learning to accept yourself and doing crazy things so others will accept you. “Grease” page 12
www.tpgonlinedaily.com Capitola Soquel Times / June 2022 / 9
