Premier Performers

Jesuit High School's drama club, The Masque, has a long and storied tradition at the school, producing high quality, entertaining productions every fall and spring.

Two years ago, the students who create those acclaimed school productions joined the International Thespian Society and began participating in the annual District 9 Individual Events Festival, as Troupe 8059. The first two years, three Jesuit students advanced from District to State competition.

This year, Troupe 8059 established itself as premier performers. On Oct. 1 at Wharton High School, eight Jesuit students qualified for State competition at the 2016 District 9 Individual Events Festival.

Jesuit’s theater director, Richard Miller, led a contingent of 11 from Jesuit who were judged very highly in an array of categories at District. Five Jesuit students received Excellent ratings: Carter Cabassa ’20 for his monologue performance of “Harvey" and "The Glass Menagerie,” and two duet scenes, performed by Riley Buchanan ’20 and Gio Taylor ’20 from “The Old Boy,” and Noah Armenia ’17 and J.P. Menendez ’19 from “Waiting for Godot.”

Several others earned Superior ratings: In monologue performances, Lucas Pasquier ’17 for “Columbinus” and “The Two Gentlemen of Verona,” and George Morgan ’18 for “A Few Good Men” and “Noises Off”; in duet acting, Alex Peña ’18 and Jack Mahoney ’18 for “Broadway Bound,” and Pasquier and Morgan for “The Odd Couple”; and in ensemble acting, the trio of Buchanan, Menendez, and Armenia for their performance of “Frogs.”

And Jack Garthwaite ’17 earned top honors in the scene design category for the play “The Curious Savage.” Garthwaite garnered the highest score in the event and the coveted Critics’ Choice award – the equivalent of winning the District championship.

The eight students who advanced from District competition will represent Jesuit at the Florida State Thespians Festival from March 15-18 in Tampa. The event draws thousands of high school theater students from across the state. Also, Jesuit will be represented at the District One-Act Play Festival in December, which provides an additional opportunity to qualify for the State Festival.

Jesuit's District competitors in the homepage photo, from L-R: Garthwaite, Taylor, Cabassa, Morgan, Buchanan, Mahoney, Pasquier, Armenia, and Peña. Missing from the photo are Menendez and Miles Almadrones '17.

The photos below are from the District competition.


Riley Buchanan '20 (gray shirt), Noah Armenia '17 (right), and J.P. Menendez '19 performing "Frogs"

 

Members of the Jesuit Masque at the District competition Oct. 1 at Wharton High School

 

 
Noah Armenia '17 (facing camera) and Riley Buchanan '20 performing "Frogs"