Meet Maricopa’s youth actors heading to Nationals

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The group musical piece "Welcome to the Rock" from the show "Come From Away" earned Maricopa kids a superior score in Regionals. Photo by Raquel Hendrickson

Maricopa High School students who rated the top score of “superior” at Arizona Thespian Regional competition in January have been trying to raise funds to make the trip to Lincoln, Nebraska for nationals.

Emme Boothe

The students – Emme Booth, Keara Burke, Genevieve Burno, Aidyn Curtis, Alexia Esquivel, Fallon Fruchey, Antonio Gonzales, Julianna Goodrum, Alex Hurley, Princess Jimenez, Brandon Korittky, Kade Kruse, Kiki Lemon, Hannah Panter, Haley Raffaele, Joey Russoniello, Emma Schrader, Chloe Seekings and Taryn Story – qualified in musical performances, monologues and duet scenes.

Find out how you can help through the Maricopa High Theatre Boosters:
MaricopaHighTheatreBoosters.GoDaddySites.com
• On Facebook @MaricopaHighTheatreBoosters
• By phone at 520-371-4146

Learn more about some of the young people:

Emme Boothe

Age: 16
Grade: 10
Years in Maricopa: 10

Keara Burke

National-qualifying performance: Monologues from “Quiche Isn’t Sexy” and “The Children’s Hour”
MHS Theatre Co.: “Taming of the Shrew,” “The Baker’s Wife,” “Fiddler on the Roof”
Future plans: “I want to go to New York University for art and theatre.”

 

Keara Burke
Age: 17
Grade: 11
Years in Maricopa: 7
National-qualifying performance: Stage management of “Peter Pan”
MHS Theatre Co.: “Beauty and the Beast,” “Taming of the Shrew,” “The Baker’s Wife,” “45 seconds from Broadway,” “Silent Sky,” stage manager for “Peter Pan”
Future plans: “My future plans are to go to ASU and get a BFA in theatre production in hopes to one day work on Broadway as a technician or be a stage manager for Disney theatrical productions.”

 

Genevieve Burno

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aidyn Curtis

Aidyn Curtis

Age: 17
Grade: 12
Years in Maricopa: 9
National-qualifying performance: “Welcome to the Rock” from “Come From Away” group musical and two monologues
MHS Theatre Co.: “Pirates of Penzance,” “Taming of the Shrew,” “Peter Pan,” “The Baker’s Wife,” “Fiddler on the Roof,” stage manager for “Narnia,” musical director for “Beauty and the Beast,” director of “[Title of Show]”
Future plans: Attend ASU in the fall

 

Alexia Esquivel

Alexia Esquivel
Age: 18
Grade: 12
Years in Maricopa: 2
National-qualifying performance: “Welcome to the Rock” from “Come From Away” group musical
MHS Theatre Co.: “Narnia,” “You Can’t Take It with You,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “Taming of the Shrew,” “45 Seconds from Broadway,” “The Baker’s Wife,” “Peter Pan”
Future plans: “I am going to be attending the University of Arizona in the fall, majoring in marketing with the Eller College of Business.”

 

Fallon Fruchey

Fallon Fruchey

Age: 15
Grade: 10
Years in Maricopa: 15
National-qualifying performance: “’night, Mother” duet scene, “Mystery of Edwin Drood” solo musical
MHS Theatre Co.: “Taming of the Shrew,” “The Baker’s Wife,” “Fiddler on the Roof”
Future plans: Attend New York University to study psychology and theatre

 

 

Antonio Gonzales

 

 

Antonio Gonzales
Age: 18
Grade: 12
Years in Maricopa: 3.5
National-qualifying performance: “Welcome to the Rock” from “Come From Away” group musical, “SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical” duet musical and two monologues
MHS Theatre Co.: “Beauty and the Beast,” “You Can’t Take It with You,” “The Baker’s Wife,” “Peter Pan,” “Silent Sky,” “Fiddler on the Roof,” director of “Silent Sky”
Future plans: “I plan on going to ASU and studying theatre, either the acting side or tech side of things.”

 

Julianna Goodrum

Julianna Goodrum

Age: 16
Grade: 11
Years in Maricopa: 2
National-qualifying performance: “Dear Evan Hansen” duet musical
MHS Theatre Co.: “Peter Pan,” “[Title of Show]”
Future plans: Remain in the Theatre Company until I graduate and help out wherever I can, pursue education and creative arts, music, theater, etc.”

 

 

 

Alex Hurley

Alex Hurley
Age: 17
Grade: 12
Years in Maricopa: 5
National-qualifying performance: “Welcome to the Rock” from “Come From Away” group musical
MHS Theatre Co.: “Narnia,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “Spring Awakening”
Future plans: Musician and/or actor/performer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Princess Jiminez

Princess Jimenez

Age: 16
Grade: 10
Years in Maricopa: 3
National-qualifying performance: “’night, Mother” duet scene
MHS Theatre Co.: “Silent Sky,” “The Baker’s Wife,” “Peter Pan”
Future plans: “Social worker, open my own bakery, university”

 

 

 

 

 

Brandon Korittky

Brandon Korittky
Age: 17
Grade: 12
Years in Maricopa: 17
National-qualifying performance: “SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical” duet musical
MHS Theatre Co.: “Pirates of Penzance,” “Narnia,” “The Baker’s Wife,” “Peter Pan,” “The Curious Savage,” “Fiddler on the Roof”
Future plans: “Live my life to the fullest”

 

 

 

 

 

Kade Kruse

Kade Kruse

Age: 17
Grade: 12
Years in Maricopa: 9
National-qualifying performance: “Welcome to the Rock” from “Come From Away” group musical
MHS Theatre Co.: “And Then There Were None,” “[Title of Show]”
Future plans: Community college and then university

 

 

 

 

 

Kiki Lemon

Kjirsten “Kiki” Lemon
Age: 17
Grade: 12
Years in Maricopa: 12
National-qualifying performance: “Welcome to the Rock” from “Come From Away” group musical
MHS Theatre Co.: “Les Miserables,” “You Can’t Take It with You,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “The Baker’s Wife,” “Peter Pan,” “The Curious Savage,” “Fiddler on the Roof”
Future plans: “Study at university for theatre education, serve an LDS mission, eventually become a theatre instructor for high school.”

 

 

Hannah Panter

Hannah Panter

Age: 17
Grade: 12
Years in Maricopa: 4
National-qualifying performance: “Welcome to the Rock” from “Come From Away” group musical
MHS Theatre Co.: “Les Miserables,” “The Philadelphia Story,” “Rumors,” “Narnia,” “Fiddler on the Roof,” director/stage manager of “Silent Sky”
Future plans: Bachelor’s degree in elementary education at a four-year university with a minor in music

 

 

Haley Raffaele

Haley Raffaele
Age: 14
Grade:
Years in Maricopa: 9
National-qualifying performance: “Welcome to the Rock” from “Come From Away” group musical
MHS Theatre Co.: “Peter Pan,” “[Title of Show]”
Future plans: “Continuing with the theatre company and the International Thespian Society. Maybe trying to get on the company cabinet.”

 

 

 

Joey Russoniello

Joey Russoniello
Age:15
Grade:9
National-qualifying performance: “Welcome to the Rock” from “Come From Away” group musical
MHS Theatre Company: “[title of show]”
Future plans: Vocalist/Actor

 

 

 

 

 

Emma Schrader

Emma Schrader

Age: 15
Grade: 10
Years in Maricopa: 13
National-qualifying performance: Two monologues
MHS Theatre Co.: “Taming of the Shrew,” “The Baker’s Wife,” “Peter Pan,” “The Curious Savage,” “Fiddler on the Roof”
Future plans: “I dunno! Either actress, journalist or music creator”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chloe Seekings

Chloe Seekings

Age: 17
Grade: 11
MHS Theatre Co.: “The Bakers Wife,” “Taming of the Shrew,” tech for “45 Seconds to Broadway,” assistant stage manager for “Peter Pan”
Other theater: Stage manager for “The Good Doctor” – Maricopa Community Theatre
Future goals: “I want to go to college and hopefully stage manager for a Broadway show one day. Also start a band.”

 

 

 

 

 

Taryn Story

Taryn Story

Age:17
Grade:12
National-qualifying performances: “Me & the Sky” from “Come From Away” solo musical, “Welcome to the Rock” from “Come From Away” group musical
MHS Theatre Co.: “Pirates of Penzance,” “Les Miserables,” “Narnia,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “Taming of the Shrew,” ‘Tracks,” ‘Rumors,” “The Baker’s Wife,” ‘Peter Pan,” “The Audition,” “[title of show]” (director)
Future goals: Bachelor’s degree at ASU, major in theatre

MHS Theatre Company will present “Fiddler on the Roof” April 25-27 at Maricopa Performing Arts Center.