Discover Fauquier Page 18

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Discover Fauquier June 2019

~ Lynnette Esse

The TORCH Drama

Club at St. John's

School in Warrenton invites you to attend

one of their seven upcoming performances

of the 1960s musical hit, Bye Bye Birdie. The

play, featuring teenagers and rock and roll

in small-town America, is as exciting and

full of life now as it was back

then. With its memorable

hits and hilarious script,

Birdie is sure to delight your

senses!

The TORCH Drama Club

grew from a tiny spark of

an idea that homeschooling

mom Chris Galvin had back

in 2002. "We were always

active at St. John's," Chris

recalls. "I wanted my kids

to have the experience of performing. The

concept of a Christian drama club started

out small and grew wildly."

C h r i s ' d a u g h t e r,

Ceci, grew up in the

group. After earning a

degree in English, Ceci

returned to Warrenton

and naturally slid into

her role as script

writer, director, and

choreographer. She

is a music and honors

literature teacher at St. John's, and Chris,

who now runs the administrative side of

TORCH, is a math teacher there. The

mother/daughter duo makes a great team!

The club, which requires a minimal tuition

but substantial time commitment, meets

Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:006:00

p.m. and Sundays from

7:0 0 9:0 0 p.m. The

students are broken into

age groups: Embers

includes kids from 811

years; Sparks has kids

1114 years; and Torch is

for high schoolers 1519

years. Although many

St. John's students are

involved, it isn't required

to be a school or church

member to participate in the club.

When not busy rehearsing for an upcoming

show, TORCH members participate in

three-hour monthly workshops, which

involve improvisation, singing, and dancing.

"The workshops are open to everyone,"

Ceci explains. "We need actors, and this is

a great way for new people to get a sense

of what we do, and for us to get a good

idea of their abilities."

Formal auditions are held prior to each

show. "We already have an idea of the

strengths and weaknesses of each student

and have a sense of where the casting

will land," Chris says, "but everyone

gets a role."

Many TORCH graduates

have gone on to become

professional actors and

singers, filmmakers, and

screenwriters, and former

club members, referred to as

"Torchies," often come back

to see the shows. In addition,

The Magic, a new group for

young adults age 1925

years, recently formed to

help TORCH with tech work.

Seventeen-year-old Aslan Harris has

been involved with TORCH for the past

four years. Invited by her cousin, she

decided to give it a try and never looked

back! "I love singing

and dancing," Aslan

comments. "TORCH

has helped me come

out of my shell, gain

self-confidence, and

build my social skills.

I have learned the

value of teamwork,

made friends, learned

to encourage others, and developed time-

management skills." With an interest in

pursuing a career in cosmetology, Aslan

enjoys helping younger kids backstage with

their hair and makeup during their shows.

"Aslan is the poster child for passing the

torch," Ceci says.

Per formances at St.

John's School auditorium

run from June 2022,

and June 2729 at 7:00

p.m., with a 2:00 p.m.

matinee on Sunday,

J u n e 2 3 . G e n e r a l

admission tickets are

$13 and priority seating

tickets, which include

comfy chairs and dinner,

a r e $ 2 0 . A l t h o u g h

general admission tickets will be available

at the door, it is highly recommended

that you purchase them in advance to

avoid long lines. For ticket information,

contact Torchtickets@gmail.com or

the school office (540) 347-2458. To

learn more, visit the Torch Drama Club

Facebook page, or contact Chris at

cgalvin4030@gmail.com.

TORCH Drama Club

Lights Up Lives

Mr. MacAfee (Michael Nolan)

and Mrs. MacAfee (Aslan Harris)

ponder about KIDS TODAY

TORCH's Mother and Daughter Team -

Chris and Ceci Galvin

The Cast of Bye Bye Birdie getting the day's

instructions from the director

Jun Special !

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