Maya ’10 hasn’t been in a school production since seventh grade but decided to return to acting senior year through the Drama Ensemble play “The Diviners.”  Maya and three other seniors with little experience in school plays joined Ensemble for the first time.  Performing arts department dean Anne Scarbrough worried that, with only two returning members, Jewels ’11 and Chiara ’10, it would take a while for the ensemble to bond.

“I told the girls that if they want a strong, supportive, tight-knit group to exist, it’s up to them to make it happen. It took about the length of the first semester for them to really bond and get to know each other better,” she said.

Maya acknowledged that because most of the girls didn’t know each other very well, it took a while for them to bond.  However, she said that the fact that most of them hadn’t acted together before was a good thing.

“Because we hadn’t acted together before, we didn’t have any expectations, we didn’t judge each other, and the environment wasn’t too tense or competitive among the actors,” she said.

Jewels said new cast members offered new perspective.

“Sometimes their outlook would be fresh or different from mine. It was incredibly enlightening.  Even if someone didn’t have very much experience, you never know where they’re going to draw inspiration from,” she said.

Scarbrough said the play was successful because the new members were so willing to take risks and let go of any fears.

“I was floored by their bravery and it was heartwarming as well as terrifying that they put so much trust in me to push them in the right direction,” she said.

The newer members of the ensemble felt that they grew through this experience because they were pushed to take leaps of faith and try new things.

“Being on drama ensemble has allowed me to break out of my comfort zone and do things I normally would hesitate in doing,” said Drama Ensemble member Yasmin ‘10.

Sofi ‘10 said one reason she joined was to be in a group that felt like family.

“The knowledge that if you mess up your fellow actors will still be there for you and support you, gives you the courage and the motivation to push yourself to new limits,”  she said.