Issue link: https://trevordayschool.uberflip.com/i/1495887
Aayan S. '26 felt similarly enamored by the music director. "Being mentored by Mr. Miller, a Juilliard musician with so much experience under his belt, was an absolute honor. His encouragement throughout the process was very refreshing and gave me a sense of self-confidence." Aayan was a co-pianist for Amélie. Although he has played piano and keyboard for almost a decade, this first foray into a musical pit band was a treasured experience. Aayan recalls, "It required much time, commitment, and effort, but it was more than worthwhile, as I was able to watch the characters, the show, and my own piano skills develop over time to meet the needs of the musical. Not to mention, I got to meet people who share my passion for the performing arts." The song that Aayan found most beautiful was "Goodbye, Amélie," the final musical number of Act 1. "Diorra, who was playing the role of Elton John in the scene, was the lead singer for this song, and her passionate, powerful voice and hilarious expressions were beautiful to listen to. I also enjoyed the song "Stay" at the very end of the musical, mostly due to the wonderful harmonies that Em (playing Amélie) and Jesse (playing Nino) created when singing together." The execution of such a production would be impossible without the dedication of an expert crew. It was clear to Coleman Ray Clark, in his first production with the school, that Trevor has a magnificent stage crew program. "From stage management and designers to backstage and video crews, everyone involved in Amélie brought insight and care to the production, which made the performances you saw onstage run seamlessly." Co-Production Stage Managers Karolina K. '23 and Jacquie D. '23 collaborated throughout to lead their peers in this successful production. In fact, what Jacquie enjoyed most was their camaraderie. "Working with Karolina on these productions has been some of my favorite moments at Trevor. The technical arts and behind the scenes are something I truly love doing and want to continue, so doing it with a crew that is both supportive and dedicated has been a lot of fun and something I take a lot of pride in." Jacquie also recognizes the immense power of mentorship in theatre production. "Taking a larger leadership role for Amélie 28 / TREVOR MAGAZINE WINTER 2022–2023