2021 - 22 Season
Director’s Note “I regard the theatre as the greatest of all art forms, the most immediate way in which a human being can share with another the sense of what it is to be a human being.” Thornton Wilder Our singular goal when we decided to create a brand new musical revue to welcome back performing arts to the VC community, was that it be by the students, for the students, and about the students. It had to be relevant, and tell a story that they felt compelled to tell. The students in this show are miraculous human beings. The amount of work they have put into this production, despite the - dare we say - unprecedented challenges today, is unparalleled to any group I’ve seen before. Their dedication, thoughtfulness, and power in creating art that is relevant to them has not only been an invigorating experience but easily one of the most meaningful projects of my career. But enough from me. This show is meant to give you a glimpse into the lives of their experiences; what better way than to read it in their own words? Here are their thoughts. Why is this show important to you? “The message. Everyone needs to know that they are not alone right now. We all feel so alone being isolated for so long and I think the show’s message tells us that we are all in this dilemma together.” “There are 3 reasons: this show has an amazing message about community, we have built so much needed community as a cast after being in isolation for 1.5 years, and also it is our very first live performance since COVID began.” “That it is current. This is real. The angst, the tiredness, the goofiness, the love, and most of all feeling alone. But also having amazing people to pull you out of that.” ...and what do you want the audience to know? “That life has ups and downs but at the end of the day, we aren’t the only ones feeling it. It feels isolating but if we ‘only look around’ you will see you are not so not alone.” “There is someone out there who cares about you and understands how you feel.” “You are not alone.” Friends, family, faculty & staff, and VC community, welcome to FOUND. A musical revue filled with contemporary songs from today’s hit shows. But more importantly, filled with the passion and heart of 20 strong, capable, passionate teens who are sharing with us just a little bit about what it means to be human. Chloe Diepenbrock 2
FOUND A Musical Revue
Director & Choreographer .......................................................Chloe Diepenbrock Vocal Director ................................................................................. Layna Chianakas Technical Director ........................................................................ Justin McPherson Assistant Technical Director .............................................................. Keaton Miller Stage Manager ....................................................... Rebekah Risk & Dylan Starink Set Design ...................................................................................... Justin McPherson Lighting Design .................................................................................... Keaton Miller Costume Design ........................................................................................ Kathy Risk Sound Design ...................................................................................... Robert Rubino Production/House Manager ............................................................... Cathy McFall Light Board Operator ............................................................................... Jeremy Le Sound Board Operator ......................................................................... Ryan Sparks Graphic Design .......................................................................................... Jill Carlson Running Crew .............................................................................. ................ Ava Delke Alejandro Gervacio Oliver Kaelin Grayson Lundholm Bao Quy (Jack) Nguyen Eli Olson Maybelle Rabe Mateo Ross Valerie Tsai 3
Ryan Worcester
Program *** The show will run for one continuous hour with no intermission*** “In” Carrie the Musical Company “Purpose” Avenue Q Jonathan Morgan with Machelle Ahmed, Miles Bayer, Sarah Dorsey, Sophia Haddad, Emily Luders, Leynah Nguyen and Aaron Trigg “Take a Chance On Me” Mamma Mia Emily Luders with Machelle Ahmed, Miles Bayer, Sarah Dorsey, Sophia Haddad, Jonathan Morgan, Leynah Nguyen & Aaron Trigg “She Used To Be Mine” Waitress Machelle Ahmed “Waving Through a Window” Dear Evan Hansen Aaron Trigg & Company “Light” Next to Normal Machelle Ahmed, Miles Bayer, Sophia Haddad, Katherine Lopes, Emily Luders, Aaron Trigg 4
“Two Player Game” Be More Chill Emily Luders, Leynah Nguyen and Company “I’m Not That Girl” Wicked Sarah Dorsey “The Secret of Happiness” Daddy Long Legs Sophia Haddad and Sarah Dorsey “You Will Be Found” Dear Evan Hansen Miles Bayer and Company “When You Believe” The Prince of Egypt Machelle Ahmed, Sophia Haddad and Company
“Raise You Up” Kinky Boots Company
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Cast
Lonni Adams Machelle Ahmed Nicholas Antonelli Maya Bangalore Jack Bauer Miles Bayer Sarah Dorsey Sophia Haddad Anjali Khiani Heena Kim Lily Le Vivan Le Dolsey Lin Katherine Lopes Emily Luders Jonathan Morgan Leynah Nguyen Hermione Summers Aaron Trigg Lakarah Vance 6
Biographies Chloe currently serves as Associate Director of Operations for Valley Christian School’s Conservatory of the Arts, as well as the Theatre 1 teacher. She has previously held numerous artistic and production team roles, including Director of HEART Academy Youth Theatre (Fiddler on the Roof, The Music Man) and Production Manager, Stage Manager, Assistant Director and Choreographer for the VCHS and VCE Theatre and Dance Departments. Her latest projects with VCT include directing A Charlie Brown Christmas, Disney’s High School Musical, Jr., Roger’s and Hammerstein’s Some Enchanted Evening, and Disney’s Chloe Diepenbrock, Beauty and the Beast, Jr.. Chloe is a graduate of Corban Director University (M.A. in Christian Leadership and Nonprofit Leadership), Biola University (B.A. in Theatre Arts) and the Foothill College Theatre Conservatory (A.A. in Theatre). She is overjoyed to welcome back the performing arts to the VCS campus. In a career that has spanned three decades, MezzoSoprano, Voice Teacher, and Stage Director, Layna Chianakas has portrayed over 50 leading opera roles across the United States, including over 80 performances of Carmen. Most recently, she was heard with Intermountain Opera, in Bozeman, MT in the role Mme. Larina in Eugene Onegin and with Livermore Valley Opera as Filipyevna in Eugene Onegin. She returns to both companies this spring as Emilia in Verdi’s Otello, and Marcellina in Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro. Layna Chianakas Vocal Director
As an award-winning opera Stage Director, her most recent win was from the 2021 American Prize for Opera Production for Livermore Valley Opera’s double-bill of Zemlinsky’s A Florentine Tragedy and Pucinni’s Gianni Schicchi and the National Opera Association third prize for Postcard from Morocco for the San José State Opera Theater. For Opera San José, she directed La Voix humaine, Hansel & Gretel, Carmen and Il barbiere di Siviglia. Other directing credits include, Le nozze di Figaro, Cavalli’s L’Ormindo, Ravel’s L’enfant et les sortileges, Die Fledermaus, Orpheus in the Underworld, as well as a fully-staged version of Mendelssohn’s Elijah. Rachel J. Peter’s Rootabaga Country marked her third production as the Stage Director for the Vivace Youth Chorus Summer Opera Workshop, which saw her productions of Menotti’s Chip and His Dog, and Krasa’s Brundibar. Opera Santa Barbara saw her Summer Youth Opera production of Ben Moore’s Odyssey, Jake Heggie’s At the Statue of Venus for Soprano Young Artist, Brooklyn Snow, and she returns again this October to stage their double-bill of Falla’s El amor brujo (with choreographer, Cecily MacDougall) and Puccini’s Il Tabarro. In addition to a thriving private voice studio, Ms. Chianakas is currently the Vocal Director of Musical Theater for Valley Christian High School Conservatory in San Jose, CA, where her credits include, Hello, Dolly!, Mary Poppins, Godspell, Found: A Musical Revue, and The Addams Family. She lives in San Jose, CA with her husband, and two children; her greatest productions. 7
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VALLEY CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS
OPEN HOUSE Valley Christian Schools Academic Achievement, Artistic Beauty, Athletic Distinction
Fall Open House Elementary
Saturday, October 9, 2021, 2-4pm
High School
Saturday, October 23, 2021, 1-4pm
1450 Leigh Avenue, San Jose, CA
100 Skyway Drive, San Jose, CA
Junior High
Saturday, November 6, 2021, 2-4pm 100 Skyway Drive, San Jose, CA
Register for Open House at vcs.net/becomeawarrior For more information, please visit vcs.net or email your questions to admissions@vcs.net 9
AFFIRMING THE ARTS Fall 2021 Sept 29 to .............................. Found: A New Musical Revue - HS Theatre Oct 1 Oct 7........................................ Choir Concert - JH & HS Choir Oct 14...................................... Sounds of Autumn - JH & HS Bands Oct 28-30............................... The Crucible - HS Theatre Nov 4-6 Nov 4....................................... Strings Concert - JH & HS Strings Nov 19-20............................... Elementary Musical - EL Theatre Dec 2-4................................... Emerge Christmas Dance Concert - HS Dance Dec 7-10.................................. Christmas at the California - K-12 Conservatory
Adeline Zhang
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Annual Gifts to the
WARRIOR FUND
Each family is asked to contribute annually in support of Valley Christian Schools. Annual gifts to the WARRIOR FUND are used to increase the general operating budget for the fiscal year and to ensure that each student at VCS has the opportunity to succeed. The executive leadership team is committed to being good stewards of your generous contributions by providing excellent opportunities for every student—from award-winning academic programs and extracurricular activities, to outstanding facilities and maintenance, and much more. Support the WARRIOR FUND at one of our exciting upcoming events:
uest Ball presented by Extend the Gift
8th Annual Quest Ball Dinner and Auction
Golf Classic 27th Annual Golf Classic
March 12, 2022*
May 16, 2022
*Tentatively scheduled for March 12, 2022. Look out for your invitation and updates at vcs.net/questball
We look forward to welcoming back the VCS community for a round of golf and a day of fellowship at the 27th annual Golf Classic
Thank you for partnering with us in creating Warriors: tomorrow’s leaders properly equipped to serve God and family while positively impacting their community and the world. Extend the Gift Office 408.362.7644
give.vcs.net
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MISSION STATEMENT Valley Christian Schools’ mission is to provide a nurturing environment offering quality education supported by a strong foundation of Christian values in partnership with parents, equipping students to become leaders to serve God, to serve their families, and to positively impact their communities and the world.
vcs.net
VISION STATEMENT A world where every student pursues their personal Quest for Excellence™. FOUNDING STATEMENT Valley Christian Schools supports the homes and churches of students in providing an education that is grounded in the Judeo-Christian values of the Bible, as reflected in the life and teaching of Jesus Christ. Valley Christian Schools is committed to a Quest for Excellence™ in all of its educational programs, and provides a comprehensive kindergarten through twelfth grade curriculum with a rigorous college preparatory program. Firmly founded on Christian values, Valley Christian Schools challenges youth to aspire toward lives of character, service and influence while pursuing their individual Quests for Excellence. Valley Christian Schools
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apply.vcs.net To support VCS, please call the Extend the Gift Development Office at (408) 362-7644.
Elementary (408) 559-4400 | JH (408) 513-2460 | HS (408) 513-2400 vcs.net | (408) 513-2500 | 100 Skyway Drive, San Jose, CA 95111