Thunderbird’s Seniors are wrapping up their time in Thunderbird’s Theater program, with SpongeBob: The Musical being the last performance of their high school career.

Many people in Thunderbird know the seniors who work in the Theater Department, having grown close with them during the many theatrical performances they participated in. From Stagecraft to Theater 1-2, these seniors have grown and shown that they know what they are doing when it comes to big performances such as their latest one, Spongebob The Musical. As the year winds down and the curtain falls we extend a big ‘Thank you’ to all the seniors who have been mentors and friends to the upcoming crowd of actors. 

Whether they took Theater as a way to get in an extra activity, or they took it as a way to pave a path for their future, these seniors have put in countless hours and months of hard work. Jamie Bauer-Spano, Thunderbirds Theater Director, has been alongside this group of seniors since COVID and has helped them to flourish in the craft. Ms. Bauer-Spano shared, “I really can’t wait to see the amazing things that their future holds and that these four short years are just a blip of their whole lives.” Saying goodbye to people that have been a serious part of your daily life is hard, but there is no doubt that this group of seniors will grow to be amazing.  

I went around and asked a few of their peers to tell me their thoughts and feelings on these individuals and this is what I got.

Ray Catano

“Ray Catano is such a brilliant actor. I loved watching him on stage, he’s so good at playing villains even though he’s one of the nicest people I’ve ever met.”

Dwight Grape

“Dwight Grape is so sweet. I only got to do one show with him and he was super shy at first but he did amazing. I loved seeing him on stage as Patrick.”

Cassandra Green

“ She helped so much with getting so many things done. She got set pieces done, she painted, she just did so much. She was a superstar.” 

Kat Hammann

 “Kat is very passionate about theater and musicals. She is very outgoing and cares so much about theater and music and is so creative and kind.”

Julian Kioa

“ Julian is amazing, he is so talented and I just love watching him on stage. He’s always able to play this gentle, kind soul because he is just a kind person.” 

Grace Kostyk

“Grace is a very talented actor and she has a lovely voice. She’s so funny and just a kind and caring person.” 

Autumn Lee

“Autumn is one of the sweetest people you’ll probably ever meet. She is so kind, creative, and loving. She is so passionate about doing shows and I loved watching her play Gary.”

Cannon Paul

“He’s a very creative actor, I find it interesting to watch him play his roles. He is very outgoing.” 

Andrew Stark

“ Andrew Stark is a very kind person, he has been super helpful. He has helped me so much in stagecraft, it’s just so interesting to see what he comes up with. He is the reason I feel so creative now.”

Ben Tackman

“Ben has been in theater for a long time, he’s also a thespian. He can be very quiet but he’s also very attentive. He’s always been very nice and kind to everyone that does shows with him.”

Molly Utley

“Molly is one of the sweetest people I’ve ever met. She has just a sweet and kind personality, I feel like Molly has done so much for our theater department. She’s just such a creative and talented actor.”

Joy Villavicencio

LeetaJo: “Joy is one of the funniest people I’ve ever met, she’ll say she’s not a theater kid but she’s the best kind of theater kid. I have enjoyed watching Joy on stage, it’s just so awesome to see the character choices she makes”

Lilly Lopez-Velasco

“Lily has always been there. She’s just so caring and I couldn’t have asked for anyone better.”

Olivia Chandler 

“Olivia is so sweet, she has so much respect for the theater space.She’s just so creative and incredible.”

Anika Elenes

“Anika is so pretty, I met her during Macbeth and she’s just so good with literature. It was like she could fully comprehend what she was saying with the Shakespeare lines. She’s just so amazing.” 

Lily Imre

“Lily is one of the best people in the world, she is one of the kindest and sweetest people I’ve ever met. She is such a good communicator and just so kind, I’m gonna miss her.”

Justin Barrios Hernandez

“Justin was in my theater class last year, he is such a talented artist. I just love looking at his art and then realizing the real meaning behind it.”

Cassandra Lindsay

“Cassandra is a very good actor from what I’ve seen. Cassandra is a very kind person, she is so funny and such a big help.”