After several weeks of preparation, the ILS Drama Club held its biggest fundraiser of the school year: the annual banquet.
Every year, the Drama Club hosts a banquet to fundraise for their spring show. The banquet is also themed around the show; Since this year’s show is Les Misérables, the banquet was themed to be a French café to reflect the famous ABC Café represented in both the book and stage adaptation.
The banquet gives members of the Drama Club chances to perform for the attendees, as they share a meal prepared by SAGE.
The menu this year reflected the setting of Les Misérables, offering iconic French dishes. The course included potatoes, quiche, chicken, beef, ratatouille, and more. However, the real star of the show was the student-led performances.
Emceeing the event this year were seniors Danna Chalela, Victoria Harding, and sophomore Camila Garcia. The first performance of the night featured sophomores Wendell Copeland, Jr., Lara Torrens, and Camila Garcia performing a parody of Master Of The House, written by Danna Chalela, with lyrics changed to fit the banquet. A variety of student acts followed the opening (ranging but not limited to Thespian performances, Money Minutes, and more) until it soon came time for the iconic improv segment.
The improv team, led by junior Miguel Suarez-Cabal, put on a great show where they played the improv game “Why Are You Late?” The game features someone as the boss of an establishment, a worker who is late, and the rest of the crew. When the worker enters, they are asked why are they late, and the crew pantomimes reasons behind the boss, as the late worker tries to guess what they are trying to get them to say to win. The segment featured audience participation in which guests were asked to pick the reasons and the establishment that the bit was set.
After that, regular performances continued, until it came time for the Senior Performance. The Senior Performance consisted of a majority of the graduating seniors who have been active participants of the Drama Club, typically taking the form of a short skit. The Senior Performance segment was pioneered by the Class of 2023, making this the second time such a performance has taken place at the banquet. This year, the skit was a comical scene, showcasing references to all the shows the Class of 2024 participated in (such as Twelfth Night, Clue, The Addams Family, and more). It served as an overall celebration of what the seniors have accomplished in their time as members of the club.
Following the Senior Performance, the cast of Les Misérables closed off the banquet with a thrilling preview of the show in the form of a medley. The medley, woven together by drama instructor Mrs. Lianne Rodriguez, consisted of a variety of iconic numbers from the show, such as “The People’s Song (Do You Hear The People Sing)”, A Heart Full of Love, One Day More, and many others.
“It was absolutely amazing!” mused sophomore Allison Toll, who currently plays Joly in Les Misérables.
“The banquet was filled to the brim with decorations fitting the theme of ILS’s upcoming production Les Misérables. The food SAGE offered was spectacular, even there being a surprising inclusion of the ratatouille dish, along with other French cuisine. The performances on stage showcased many students’ talent, comedic sense of humor, and confidence. All that night did was excite me for next year’s banquet!” she added,
”I liked it,” said sophomore Lara Torrens, who was part of the opening act of the banquet, the improv group, and the Les Misérables preview (where she portrayed her character, Madame Thernadier). Her enthusiasm shined through despite the simplicity of her words, evident through her involvement and commitment to serving the Drama Club.
While this is the biggest fundraiser, please keep an eye out for more possible fundraisers held by the Drama Club. To stay updated, be sure to follow @ilsroyalsdrama on Instagram. Mark your calendars and save the date to see the long-anticipated Les Misérables in all its glory on May 8-11.
