Last Wednesday to Saturday West High’s Theatre Department introduced their Fall Play, Juvie, under the direction of Mrs. Orabuena. The play featured a series of inmates, each explaining their reason for being in juvenile detention.

  The prison guards kicked off the play by listing out the inmates. The inmates included Pinky (Abigail Navarro 12), Andrew (Weston McElhaney 12), Jean (Brooke Barnard 12), Sunny (Marin Casey 10), Skip (Skyler Bimat 12), Carey (Wade McElhaney 12), Ann (Emilee Barnard 10), Jane (Emily Partida 11), Phylly (Haley Guinn 10), Sean (Jacob Batory 11), Leah (Sarah Gelt 11), June (Riley Sigler 11), Dina (Ana Wright 12), Marcy (Emily Lennon 12), Bart (Niccolo Sohn 10), Kimmy (Keely Miller 12), and Michael (Eric Cisneros 12).

  Each inmate one by one told their story with the help of scene reenactments. They depicted the painful story of how taking drugs, drinking alcohol, and being abused turned their life upside down in an instant. The play then closed out with each inmate’s sentence being read.

 Haley Guinn, who was introduced as a mentally unstable delinquent, said, “The play depicted a lot of problems our generation faces in America. It was interesting getting into the role of an inmate and kind of experiencing what it’s like.”

  Hannah Harrison (11) experienced a little of what it is like to be a prison guard. Harrison said, “Even though I was a prison guard, I still felt what the prisoners felt. [The play] is a little different than what most people are used to seeing. This play showed some of the harsh realities that people face everyday, and showed what juvie might sort of be like.”

  Not only did the cast feel this way about their work, but Sebastian Bonilla (11) commented, “The play was interesting. The inmates conveyed emotions that I wasn’t expecting. They really got into the role they were playing.”

  Join the Theatre Department on April 4-8 next year for their Spring Musical, Zombie Prom, in the Scarlata Theatre!