WHS play captivates elementary students

The Wasco High School advanced drama class recently enchanted an audience of 1,100 elementary school students with a vibrant and entertaining performance. The play staged in the historic auditorium was alive with loud cheers, applause and excitement.

"Goldilocks on Trial" was a spin on the classic "Goldilocks and the Three Bears," with a twist of being put into the courtroom and dishing it all out.

For Jules Wimberly, who played Mamma Bear, it was her first time performing in a play of any kind. "I was nervous, but thrilled to work with the cast. Everybody in the whole cast was welcoming. It was so much fun, and doing it in front of the kids was just amazing."

She said there was a special energy in the room. "From the beginning to the end, you could feel it throughout. It was just so strong."

However, she found that there was a challenge. "It was hard for us to try to slow down because we are all fast speakers, and we wanted to keep at a pace so that the kids could keep up with us so it could be more enjoyable for them."

There were many memorable moments for her, including when her friend's brother approached her after the show. "I was flattered that he was excited to meet me. At that age, kids are impressionable, and I felt like I made a positive impact on him."

The play was entirely student-directed and produced. Sidney Zavala was one of the directors.

"Most importantly, we wanted to focus on finding a play that would make the kids laugh, and a lot of the kids normally don't go on field trips, so we wanted to make the trip memorable for them."

"And after seeing all the kid's reactions and wanting autographs and greeting us, I felt like we accomplished that. I was really proud of myself and of the actors."

She said she and the other director, Jorge Cabrera, were pleasantly surprised. "During the play, Jorge and I added music for our actor's entrance. We were worried that the kids might not like it, but they ended up dancing and singing to it. Behind the scenes, we were smiling and laughing."

The ensemble included Sidney Zavala, Jorge Cabrera, Isabel Rubalcado, Amber Newby, Elliot Garza, Jennifer Lopez, Giovanni Lopez, Natalie Acosta, Noah Sanchez, Jaime Galvan, Elijah Rodriguez, Maria Castillo Salgado, Jules Wimberly and Kathryn Vargas.

"My desire is that we can keep this tradition alive for as long as possible. We've already done it for ten years, and I hope that that continues," drama teacher Melanie Yasenchak said.