LOS ALAMITOS, Calif. — On March 5-7, Los Alamitos High School Drama Department presented their spring show, “The Great Gatsby,” in the Performing Arts Center. This cast gave an amazing performance as they faced their own emotional goodbyes backstage. While holding back tears and bittersweet emotions, castmates worked together to make their portrayal of “The Great Gatsby” their best.
“We’re like a family because we’ve known each other for such a long time,” said drama member Lily Martinez, who played Myrtle Wilson.
For the majority of the junior class, the beloved classic novel, “The Great Gatsby,” is one of the main books read in the curriculum. One of the book’s beauties is that the overall message can be interpreted in different ways. This showing of “The Great Gatsby” did an excellent job at emphasizing the consequences of Tom and Daisy Buchanan’s actions and the little repercussions they receive from them.
“I could feel the seniors’ intensity in their acting knowing that it was their last performance which gave it more authenticity,” said sophomore Naomi Dixon, an audience member.
Jay Gatsby, played by senior Mason Potter, was the central character of the play and can even be described as haunting the narrative before his actual appearance and after his eventual death. Nick Carraway, played by senior Evan Pagan, was the show’s narrator and witness to the tragic events, making it shown through his perspective. These two characters, essential to the plot, were both played by seniors, making it their last play at LAHS. Although both actors were sad to be leaving, both were more than happy to say their final goodbyes as Jay Gatsby and Nick Carraway.
“This is my last show, so it’s a surreal feeling to know that after Saturday night, I won’t be able to do this anymore. It’s been a blast, I’ve always loved ‘The Great Gatsby,’ so it’s nice that I get to end on a show that I really like and play a character that I really love,” said Potter.
The main female characters, Daisy Buchanan, played by freshman Michelle Garner, Jordan Baker, played by junior Lola Patterson and Myrtle Wilson, played by senior Liliana Martinez, all felt accurately portrayed to their book characters. With Daisy acting as an innocent girl without acknowledgment of her actions, Jordan being an immoral person with no concern for others and Myrtle being an unhappy character who acts out of impulse, these female characters, although not pretty on the surface, power the storyline almost more than the men who have power over them.
“It’s really cool to do a drama that is very adult but has a lot of truth to it. The fact that we have to be so honest to ourselves both as actors and characters, I think, is really fun and difficult,” said Pagan.
The controversial male character, Tom Buchanan, played by junior Tim Young, portrays the husband of the female lead, Daisy Gatsby. Young displays an original performance, attempting to paint a picture of the satirical and ruthless personality of Buchanan. The character is nearly identical to the one in the novel, including both his ensemble and cruel disposition.
“Tom Buchanan is such an awful character, so it’s weird to have to come in as this person that everyone is supposed to hate. It’s been an interesting experience trying to get the audience to hate me,” said Young.
Overall, the show had great looks and the setting of the roaring ‘20s was a booming factor of its entertainment. The quick dances between scenes that showcased the flapper look of the ‘20s and the music were some of the best parts of the show.
Before intermission and after the show, the concession stand sold things like snacks, food and LAHS drama merchandise. In total, the proceeds were $290, which will be used for the drama department’s funds. Not only were there snacks to buy, but there was a mocktail bar in front of the PAC, which sold 1920s-inspired mocktails. One drink option, “The Green Light,” was a pomegranate blackberry mint julep mocktail, its name inspired by the green light Gatsby reaches out for in the show. The other drink option, “Daisy’s Daydream,” was a grapefruit Bee’s Knees mocktail.
Ultimately, the show was an incredible presentation of “The Great Gatsby” and was an exciting experience for many juniors who had recently finished the book in their English classes. The LAHS seniors in the drama left the stage with “The Great Gatsby” as their final show and took the crowd’s breath away.
“I didn’t know any of these people were going into this. I gained a lot of friends and close friends as well. It was a new and exciting experience and I’m glad I joined,” said Garner.
