STATE OF THE ART

Violet Adams (VA, ‘24) was accepted to the California State Summer School for the Arts (CSSSA) for Visual Arts.

Artwork by Joyce Lee (VA, ‘21) and Ciel Mitrovich (VA, ‘24) was featured in an article by the Orange County Register, which focuses on how students have expressed themselves artistically during the pandemic.

To view the article, please visit https://bit.ly/3wPAtO0

With her passion for arts as activism and in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, Nena Oshita (ACT, '22) and her fellow OCSA students and alumni created a video titled "Enough is Enough."

To view the full video, please visit https://bit.ly/3fRkU2v

Natasha Mynhier (CMD, '11) released a film titled "In A Beat." The film features the underrepresented lens of a Black autistic boy on his first night home alone.

To watch the trailer, please visit https://bit.ly/3wV4YSA

Zach Hoffman (ACT, '22) was cast in the lead role of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in an outdoor, COVID-19 friendly production of Jekyll & Hyde with Braver Players Musical Theater Foundation.

Katherine Wong (CW, ‘21) was named a 2021 Coca-Cola Scholar in recognition of her superior leadership, service, and academics, as well as her efforts to positively affect others in her community. Out of the 251 regional finalists across the country, she was one of 150 selected to receive a $20,000 college scholarship and join a network of more than 6,000 Coca-Cola Scholar alumni that encourage, challenge, and support each other in their common goal of making the world a better place.

Holly Calderon (MT, ‘24) was accepted into the Boston Conservatory at Berklee Musical Theater Acting Intensive for Summer 2021.

The following students received Gold or Silver National Awards in the annual Scholastic Art & Writing Awards.

Gold National Awards:
Joyce Lee (VA, ‘21) - Drawing & Illustration, Nature's Unification
London San Luis (DM, ‘23) - Painting, Ocularity
Amy Wang (VA, ‘23) - Painting, Pajamas
Ally Wong (CW, ‘23) - Poetry, Springrolls

Silver National Awards:
Joyce Hong (VA, ‘22) - Drawing & Illustration, Recurrection
Hannah Kang (VA, ‘22) - Painting, Complexities of Skin UnderTones (Sequel)
Ashley Thornton (CW, ‘23) - Poetry, Catallena
Suofei Wang (VA, ‘21) - Drawing & Illustration, Tea Set
Ally Wong (CW, ‘23) - Poetry, On Lunar New Year; Short Story, Gutted
Kevin Yang (VA, ‘24) - Drawing & Illustration, The Upside Down World

Sophia Madrigal (ACT, '22) wrote a play, titled Wildflower: Indigenous Spirit, that was filmed live and recorded via Zoom with the help of OCSA alumnus Max Rogoff (FTV, '20). Sophia was also selected to speak at the United Nations Girls Speak Out event about her Girl Scout Gold Award project, "Healing Through the Indigenous Art of Storytelling."

McKayla Frances Mercado (BF, '22) was promoted to company dancer with LA’s premier folk ballet company Grandeza Mexicana Folk Ballet Company. McKayla was also selected to be part of the Dia de Muertos: Al Chile Tour with Grammy Award winner Lila Downs.

Jacqueline Artinian (BR, '22) and Lucas McCollum-VanHoosear (BR, '22) received the Open Amateur Under 21 Scholarship in the American Smooth category at the Elite Dancesport Competition.

Maggie Ding’s (FTV, '22) short film, titled Left Behind, won first place in the documentary category at the Josiah Media Festival and the International KidsNFilm Festival. The film also received the award for Best Youth Movie at the SoCal Film Awards and was a finalist in the International Teen Short Film Festival.

Ava Kuntz (CV, ‘21) received first place for the State of California at the Music Teachers’ Association of California (MTAC) San Diego Branch VOCE Competition. She also received first place in both the Classical and Musical Theater categories for ages 17-18 at the Vocal Organization of California VO-CAL Competition 2021.

Golden Bachelder (ACT, '19) and Noah Connor (ACT, '19) produced an online film festival called Razzmatazz, featuring original sketches, short films, one-acts, music, magic, and more. With assistance from other current OCSA students and alumni, as well as Acting Conservatory instructors Bodie Newcomb and Tess Lina, Razzmatazz combined talents from New York University, UCLA, Loyola Marymount University, and OCSA.

The following current students and alumni were involved with the festival:

Nick Charles Currie (ACT, '19)
Chris Drake (ACT, '19)
Elliott Dynes (FTV, '19)
Reese Gonzalez (ACT, '18)
Julia Jachetta (ACT, '22)
Ryan Jachetta (FTV, '19)
Logan Langevin (ACT, '23)
Alexandra Levine (ACT, '19)
Krish Marwah (ACT, '23)
Jack Robertson (ACT, '21)
Noah Strattan (ACT, '20)
James Slaybaugh (ACT, '21)

Saira Arora (IM, ‘22) was accepted into the California State Summer School for Mathematics and Science (COSMOS), a highly competitive four-week STEM-based research program.

To read more about COSMOS, please visit https://bit.ly/3yWCutg

Mia Soumbasakis (CW, ‘22) was awarded the Lion’s Heart Think of Others Before Yourself (TOBY) Award in honor of a variety of projects, including teaching creative writing to young students, making jewelry for foster children, and helping with food and clothing drives. The TOBY Award is a community service award given to an outstanding Lion’s Heart volunteer who has gone above and beyond in their community.

Bridget Phillips (MT, ‘22) and Jacki Vellandi (ACT, ‘22), both members of OCSA Thespian Troupe 6826, were selected to receive the highest award for playwriting by the International Thespian Society for their respective plays, Oakland and Reverie. They will work virtually with an experienced director and professional playwright to workshop their plays, which will be presented as staged readings during the International Thespian Festival in June.

Sidney Muntean (CW, ‘22) was accepted into the Summer Workshop for Young Writers at the Kelly Writers House through the University of Pennsylvania.

Anna Antongiorgi (CCD, ‘15) released a book of poems titled refinding the rules of gravity through Finishing Line Press.

Tisha Custodio (ACT, ‘19) was cast in a lead role in the upcoming Disney+ original series Big Shot.

Cassandra Hasio (CW, ‘17) and Soorim Lee (FTV, ‘17) created and launched a limited six-episode radio dramedy series podcast, titled Slam!, about a high school poetry team inspired by their time at OCSA. Please click here to listen.

Avery Mizrahi (IA, '24) was accepted into the SoCal Youth Neuroscience Association (SCYNA) through UC Irvine's Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory. SCYNA allows students to connect with experts in the field through events, competitions, and discussions. Avery was also selected to share her passion for neuroscience with SCYNA's elementary school outreach program.

Dana Worrell (IA, '21) booked a role as a dancer in Jadah Marie's latest music video, titled "Staycation."

Annika Petras (IA, '25) was selected to serve as a Kid Reporter for Scholastic Kids Press. Annika is one of 45 student journalists representing 21 U.S. states and more than 10 countries around the world. In her fourth year reporting for Scholastic Kids Press, she has covered the election, the pandemic, earthquakes, and the entertainment industry.

To read more about her story, please visit https://prn.to/3wWL6i1

Michael Repper (IM, ‘08) was one of 15 conductors recognized by The Solti Foundation U.S. and selected as a 2021 recipient of The Sir Georg Solti Career Assistance Award.

To read the full press release, please visit https://conta.cc/2RdNJg0

Maya Alvarez-Coyne (CMD, '21) received the Young Artists Scholarship from the Laguna Dance Festival. She was also selected to tour with Irish-American dancer, choreographer, and musician Michael Flatley on his upcoming Lord of the Dance tour in Taiwan.

Mia Willardson's (CW, ‘24) original poem, “Evenings With Yours Truly," was accepted for publication in the online magazine Words and Whispers.

Alexander Perazzo (MT, '21) was selected as a delegate for the 2020 American Legion California Boys State.

Genesis Maciel (MT, '23) was cast in a commercial for an Orange County Health Department public service announcement regarding Orange County youth opioid awareness.

Ryan Reithmeier, Director of the Classical Voice Conservatory, received an Inland Theatre League Award for his work as Vocal Director of the 2019 production of The Music Man at Christian Arts Theater (CAT) Corona.

Rachel Presby (IA, '22) earned the National American Miss California Jr. Teen title after being evaluated for her volunteer work, performance in interviews, poise, and overall presentation. She was invited to represent California at the National Pageant later this year.

Sona Kamaraj (VA, '24) received a high merit award in the Celebrating Art contest for her art submission, titled “Last Fall.” Her artwork was in the top 10% of entries received from across the nation.

Brielle Lieberman (CMD, ‘26) and Brooklyn Lieberman (CMD, ‘26) participated in the Moderna trial for the COVID-19 vaccine and were featured in an article from Healthline.

To view the article, please visit https://bit.ly/3pae1fG

Maya Alvarez-Coyne (CMD, '21) performed with Riverdance as a featured guest for the Marie Keating Foundation’s televised Concert4Cancer event. In this virtual performance showcasing dancers from around the world, Maya represented both California and the United States.

Ashlye Gambill (MT, '23) was cast in the Walt Disney Pictures film "Artemis Fowl," directed by Kenneth Branagh.

Aryan Simhadri (ACT, '24) was cast in a lead role in the upcoming Disney Channel Original Movie Spin, about an Indian American teen who discovers her artistic side through the unique world of DJ culture.

Caitlin Cheung (ACT, ‘21) was cast in a lead role in the short film Sorry for the Inconvenience, directed by Jane Chow. The film was nominated for the Deutsche Bank Frieze Los Angeles Film Award and was selected to play at the Austin Asian American Film Festival and Girls in Film.

To watch the full short film, please visit https://bit.ly/2S0zfR7

Ritika Asher (CCD, '23) was the co-host for the Orange County Justice Fund’s (OCJF) annual fundraiser. OCJF is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to generating support for effective legal representation for the immigrant community, some of the most vulnerable residents in the county.

The following students were recognized at the 15th Annual National Youth Arts Awards:

Sophia Del Rey (ACT, '21) won two Best Supporting Performance in a Musical awards for her roles as the Witch in Into the Woods and Tobias’ voice in Sweeney Todd.

Sophia Ruiz (MT, '23) won the award for Lead Performance in the Junior Division for her portrayal of Mary Poppins in Mary Poppins at The Arts & Learning Conservatory.

Marcus Brooks (MT, '23) was nominated for Lead Performance in the Junior Division for his portrayal of Bert in Mary Poppins at The Arts & Learning Conservatory.

The following students participated as mentors in Musical Theater Matters, a community program with Segerstrom Center for the Arts that engages and supports children with special needs through musical theater.

Nikka Coetzee (IA, '23)
Sophia Gaba (MT, '23)
Ana Sofia Gomez Garza (MT, '25)
Mia Guillen (IA, '23)
Jonah Lee (MT, '23)
Phe McCullough (MT, '24)
Lauren Mei (ACT, '23)
Lisa Ordonez (IA, '23)
Hannah Osier (IA, '24)

Logan Langevin (ACT, '23) was cast in a national tribute commercial for Nike.

Truanne Chen (IM, ‘24) was selected to play violin for the Southern California School Band & Orchestra Association (SCSBOA) 2021 High School Honor Orchestra. She also won fourth prize in the string category at the 2021 Music Scholarship Competition and received the Dozen Trust Fund Scholarship Award from the Music Teachers’ Association of California (MTAC) Los Angeles County Branch.

Sydney Dardis (CV, ‘17) was awarded the Encouragement Award in the 2021 San Diego District of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions program. Sydney competed among 20 other singers aged 20-29 and was the youngest singer to be awarded this prize.

Jacob Ferguson (ACT, '22) was cast as a tap dancer in the short film Human Hearts. The short film was a finalist in the Cinema Touching Disabilities Festival produced by the Salvation Army and was screened at the Awareness Festival in Los Angeles. It was also selected to screen at the Women’s Indie Film Festival in Los Angeles. To view the short film, please click here.

Dante Basco (MT, ‘93) was featured in an article by San Francisco Chronicle Datebook about his upcoming film, The Fabulous Filipino Brothers.

To view the article, please visit https://bit.ly/3vNn6xK

The Musical Theatre Conservatory’s fall production of the musical Quilters was featured in a story by Dramatics magazine that covers the production and how it became one of the 11 shows to receive main stage recognition at the 2020 International Thespian Festival (ITF). The show, originally selected for main stage presentation at ITF in Indiana, was live streamed to registered participants of the virtual festival. To read the full article, please visit https://bit.ly/3fRrjeb

The following students and alumni were featured in the interview:

Juliette Boland (MT, '20)
Peyton Kirkner (MT, '23)
Grace Osier (MT, '22)
Makenna Olsen (MT, '22)
Charlee Rubino (MT, '21)
Zoe Seare (MT, '21)

Ava Tello (ACT, ‘24) was accepted into the UCLA Camera Acting Summer Institute, a virtual two-week, UC credit-bearing, intensive program that encompasses voice, scene study, storytelling, and on-camera acting training classes.

Christine Choi, Special Services Administrative Assistant and conservatory instructor, received the Arts in Special Education Award as part of the 2021 Orange County Music and Arts Awards, which recognizes outstanding arts educators in the county whose leadership has impacted their school, district, and community. The Arts in Special Education Award honors an educator who delivers exceptional arts instruction to students with disabilities and fosters inclusion in their school community.

OCSA teachers Sarah Gonzalez, Mathieu Girardet, and Kimberly Cantley were also nominated for this award.

Jessica Sequeira (ACT, '22) booked a voiceover role for the commercial titled “Mask Up OC,” which features all 30 city mayors from Orange County.

Joe DiFiore (IM, '11) released his debut jazz saxophone album, "Out of the Woods," which is available on iTunes, Spotify, and Apple Music.

Orange County School of the Arts was one of only 33 schools in the state to receive the California Exemplary Arts Education Award from the California Department of Education for 2021. The California Exemplary Arts Education Award celebrates schools that have made a successful effort to engage students in the arts through exposure to a variety of disciplines.

The Orange County Register announced the nominees for the 9th Annual Artist of the Year Awards. This program highlights talented students across the county for their accomplishments in the arts. Each of these students has proven their abilities in their areas of expertise.

Film and Animation:

Animation and Visual Effects
Romeo Martin (DM, ‘22)

Cinematography
Justin Shin (FTV, ‘22)

Directing and Editing
Maggie Ding (FTV, ‘22)
Youning Jiang (FTV, ‘22)
Anirudh Vadhri Kota (FTV, ‘22)
Alexis Ai Macdonald (FTV, ‘22)
Nona Nishigawara (FTV, ‘22)
Michael McDonald (IA, ‘22)

Handcrafted Visual Arts:

Hand Drawing and Painting
Grace Jo (VA, ‘22)
Alison Amber Lee (VA, ‘23)
London San Luis (DM, ‘23)
Xiaowei (Sophia) Wang (VA, ‘22)

Mixed Media
Joyce Yuruo Hong (VA, ‘22)
Hannah Kang (VA, ‘22)

Instrumental Music:

Piano and Strings
Xingyao Li (IM, ‘22)
Sarah Parigela (IM, ‘23)
Sein Yun (IM, ‘22)
Hannah Zhao (IM, ‘22)

To commemorate Indigenous Peoples’ Day, Isabella Madrigal (ACT, '20), her sister Sophia Madrigal (ACT, '22), and their mother, Renda, served as panelists to discuss modern Indigenous issues at a live streamed event hosted by OCSA's Leadership Class and the Building Bridges club. Isabella and Sophia are both members of the Cahuilla Band of Indians and are of Turtle Mountain Chippewa descent.

Acting Conservatory Instructor Lyndell Higgins directed a short film called Still Untitled. The film was written by and starred her 8th grade students from last year. The short film was also selected for the Los Angeles Lift-Off Film Festival this year.

Stephanie Dorian, Assistant Director of the Acting Conservatory, has been named a 2020 Woman of Distinction by Senator Tom Umberg and the 34th California Senate District. This award honors outstanding women who exemplify ethical leadership and a commitment to making a positive impact in the community.

Catalina Marin (IA, '21) and Eileen Shank (IA, '21) founded the Unidos Together Cultural Exchange Program to connect kids in Orange County with kids in Mexico through art, language, and technology. They led bilingual writing activities via Skype with the San Juan Capistrano and Rosarito Beach Boys & Girls Clubs. They also visited Rosarito, Mexico to connect in person and fundraised on their website to help bring electricity to the Rosarito Beach Boys & Girls Club.

To learn more about the program, please visit https://bit.ly/3uK5NMG

Lisa Ordonez (IA, ‘23) was accepted to participate in the Creative Nonfiction, Fiction, and Poetry course through the Stanford University Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes program.

Fairah Burruss (MT, ‘25) was cast as one of the kid judges on the new Nickelodeon series Unleashed.

Alex Padilla (PD, ‘18), Production & Design Conservatory Arts Assistant, received the 2021 Outstanding Student Scholarly and Creative Activities Award from California State University, Fullerton (CSUF). The award recognizes excellence in student participation in research or creative activities. Alex was the undergraduate recipient for the CSUF College of the Arts and was selected in light of his sound design for the school’s production of Mozart's Don Giovanni.

Brandon Calderon (MT, '19) and other alumni started Olive Street Collective OC, a free higher education peer advising program for underrepresented high school students in Orange County.

For more information, please visit https://bit.ly/3vUhDVB