Performing Arts Seniors Take Final Bow

After four years of developing their craft, seniors at Mamaroneck High School took to the PACE Theater stage on Wednesday night to offer their final performances. The Senior Recital is the definitive show for the senior members of the Performing Arts Curriculum Experience, better known as PACE. The program is a curricular elective offered at the high school that guides students through four years of involvement in music, theater, and dance.

While students can join the program their senior year, most begin as freshmen. Each year, PACE puts on six major shows as part of their extra-curricular programming.

"A lot of schools just have a musical and a play," pointed out William Derby, the music teacher for PACE. "Our students get a chance to perform and get a chance to learn the art forms in the context of each other and in the context of life."

Signifying the bittersweet nature of the evening, the show began with a song entitled, 'You Will Be Missed', performed by Carly Renda and with Michael Poleman on guitar.

Other standouts from the first act included Eric Gordon's monologue from a show he wrote in class and a ballet routine infused with contemporary music by Lady GaGa performed by Saulito Barrios and Alanah Rafferty.

"You see how much they develop in the four years, and see the real personal growth in them onstage," said Andrea Harris-Cohen, head of the PACE Parents' Committee.

Undergrads in the PACE Program gave introductions for each of the seniors whom they had became friends with. The speeches given before each performance showed the creative community that the students developed and shared together.

The second act kept the eclectic variety flowing as it began with an homage to slapstick silent films acted out by Zackry Broodie-Stewart, Danielle Kogan, and Rachel Lau, with vaudeville piano accompaniment by Mr. Derby.

"We let them do what they want to do, the show is theirs and it's their way to say goodbye to the school and to the program" said John Fredrickson, theatre teacher and department head of PACE.

The humor was maintained throughout the set, even while Noah Rauschkolb and Emily Weitzman presented a serious ballet routine. Hilarity ensued halfway through, when Rauschkolb couldn't stand one of the dance moves that involved Weitzman's feet being put in front of his face.

"This is our last performance which is really important and it's our biggest audience every year," said Rauschkolb. "It gives you a lot of closure."

After the seniors gave their final bow to the packed auditorium filled with over 200 people, the Gayle Lipkin Award was presented to Elliot Cohen for his outstanding work over the past four years.

In his tearful acceptance speech, Cohen said "I'd like to thank everybody, all of my cast mates and co-stars and anyone who's gone through the program because you know what you went through and how much of a wonderful community this is."

It was clear throughout the event that PACE had become a home away from home for the students. Alumni from as far back as the '80s were in attendance, showing how much the program is deeply cherished by all involved.