Brockton High School drama club among 3 winners at Massachusetts theater festival finals
BROCKTON - The Brockton High School drama club can now call themselves Massachusetts state champions.
Brockton among 3 Massachusetts champions
Brockton was one of three high schools named "State Finals Winners" of the Massachusetts Educational Theatre Guild drama festival over the weekend for their performance of 1892 comedy "Charley's Aunt."
"My heart just dropped, and I immediately turned to Gigi we gave each other the most giant hug," senior Emilia Cavellon said.
St. John's Prep in Danvers and Peabody Veterans Memorial High School were the other two winners.
More than 90 high schools had entered the competition when it began back on March 2.
When they returned from their competition, students, staff, and the community greeted them with thunderous applause. "The school support means a lot to me. Seeing people in our community really care about our program, just lifts me off my feet," senior Steven Nascimento said.
Brockton High School struggles
This was a big win for Brockton High School, which has struggled recently with several issues including fights in the hallways, teacher shortages and a budget crisis.
"The perfect almost like climax to a story really. When all of this news is coming in all at the same time and seeing it combated with the other stories. It goes back and forth and then there we are on top," senior Giana Lamarre said.
In the last 11 years, Brockton's Drama Club has been a finalist in the state competition nine times. Their last title was in 2019.
"I want my students to walk away knowing that they are beacons of light, not only in their school but in their city as well. The city of champions," Drama Director Bob Hogan said.
"Light onto the school"
"The Drama Club always brings a light onto the school. It's just such a positive environment, and it always shines a bright light. I'd say it's very needed," senior Giana Lamarre told WBZ-TV earlier this month.
The school now has a lot to celebrate together. "They are the greatest thing happen to this building in a long time. This is the essence of Brockton High and that's the message we want everyone to see," Principal Kevin McCaskill said.
"Something we always say here at Brockton High is you are standing on the shoulders of the people who came before you, so to be able to set that tone and give them a really good ground to build off after we are gone is an amazing feeling," Cavellon said.
