(Photo property of Nicole Reese)
(Video produced by Nicole Reese)
Pippin: The Musical
By: Nicole Reese
Each year, students from every grade and interest level come together to put on a production. Actors, crew members, directors, and more combine their strengths for this effort. Multiple hours each day for a few months go into the two days where people can see this hard work put into a show. Now, students can also be part of the production by playing the music that is used by the actors on stage.
Last year, band teacher Mr. Wilbur introduced a live pit orchestra to the club. This orchestra contains a wide variety of instruments, featuring each child's talents and specialties within their music.
"It's fun to do something that takes effort from the entire department,” Wilbur said. "As difficult as it is, [the final outcome] is worth it." The orchestra section of the Mainstage Musical gives students who don’t enjoy being in the spotlight a way to highlight their abilities as well.
Apart from the newly added pit orchestra, other roles have been assigned to teachers in the district. Substitute teacher Ms. Fiore has taken up the roles of both assistant director and costume manager. Her job consists of helping overcome challenges like casting, as well as deciding on what the leads and featured roles will wear during the night of the show.
"Once we get to show night, I get to kind of sit back and relax, and enjoy the hard work everyone put in," Fiore stated. “I’ve always been a theater kid. It’s something that I’ve loved, even throughout college and High School.” Being a part of the Musical’s creation process gives the adults in our district a way to stay connected with their own high school passions.
Another important addition to the actors on stage comes from behind the scenes. Students involved in Stage Crew take on specific roles of their own - some being in charge of the curtain, props, sets, and lighting - to push a musical past the idea of a few people singing on a stage. Junior Kaia Warner found that there was more to enjoy about Stage Crew than just sorting props and painting the set.
"It’s a really fun environment," Warner said. “The people are really friendly, and putting on the show is really fun.” When students with similar interests come together, it makes their tasks more fulfilling.
Along with singing on stage, actors are required to learn choreography to pair with their vocals. Senior Giuls Avella is one of many upperclassmen and experienced dancers who have taken over the role of choreographing each scene of the show.
“I decided to become a choreographer because I love dancing,” Avella shared. “It has been one of my favorite things since I was a little kid, and I just wanted to help other people learn how to love dance." Putting themselves in charge of creating choreography gives these students a look into a future of teaching others.
Typically, it takes a few hundred people to create the musical that is presented each February, with help from students, teachers, aids, and families. Giving up almost all of their free time for a few months, there is commitment and dedication present in each rehearsal. As more people find out about the musical each year, it provides the ability to expand on previous visions - like building a two-story set and creating allusions to dead, floating bodies.
Huzzah!
Huzzah!
By Giuliana Avella
The Charles Dickens Festival is an annual event held in Port Jefferson Village to celebrate the writings of Charles Dickens. The festival was started in 1997 by Mayor Jeanne Garant. During the festival, volunteers dress up in Victorian era costumes, carol around the village, perform short skits of Dickens’ stories, and spread holiday cheer.
Many people have been doing the festival since the early years, like George Overin, who started in 1999 and is better known to Port Jefferson as Oliver the Chimney Sweep.
“Being with everybody that shows up…we give joy, we get joy back. We’ve been in people’s Christmas cards for years and years,” George stated when asked about his favorite parts of the festival. “We walk all over town, maybe not as fast as we used to, but we get to every store, every bar, every restaurant, every shop, and we just share joy with each other.”
George’s wife Karen Overin has also been part of the festival for many years. She began participating in the festival in 2004 as a street character she calls Eliza Fairfax. Since then, Karen has become Vice Chair of the board for the Greater Port Jefferson Arts Council as well as the street character coordinator for the Charles Dickens Festival.
“What is my favorite part of the festival? The smiles and getting people involved, the sense of community. When I joined the festival, there were people walking around, Christmas carolers, just hired acts,” Karen says. “It has expanded now to productions in every single church, and everywhere you can imagine in the village. We have a festival of trees, a Santa’s workshop, street characters, and street plays performed in various areas of the town.”
Smiles are especially brought out when younger generations are brought into the festival. Many of the actors in the Dickens festival come from the younger generations, including Sydney Cutler, who has been acting in the Dickens Festival since 2021. This year, Sydney was named one of the festival’s honorees along with Mikayla Reyes. Sydney’s favorite part of the festival, like many others’, is the Victorian era costumes.
“Definitely the costumes. They are all inspired by 16-1700s Victorian outfits. I love the skirts. They're so pretty,” Sydney says. Yet, when asked about the biggest challenge she has, Sydney answered, “Walking in the skirts. When you walk around in the skirts, they're huge, so you'll bump into everything you see, especially people.”
Later this year, the Port Jefferson Charles Dickens Festival celebrates its 30th anniversary. The Greater Port Jefferson Arts Council plans on making the festival bigger and better in 2026, including fixing issues with parking, adding new aspects, moving some productions indoors, and creating more holiday magic.
(Video produced by Aidan Elvington)
(Photos property of Giuliana Avella)
(Photos property of Comsewogue High School)
(Video produced by Giana Reyes)
Hispanic Heritage night
Hispanic Heritage night
By Giana Reyes
Hispanic Heritage Night is an annual event at Comsewogue High School that typically takes place in early November. This event is a night of celebration of all Hispanic cultures, where they share traditional food, dances, and music.
Rosa Antello, a Spanish teacher and event organizer, for the past 26 years this event has occurred, has taken on the responsibility that comes with this celebration. Starting off as a small classroom tradition and growing into a huge community event.
“When we started was actually during X time," said Mrs. Antelo. "The kids used to bring food,” showing just how small these potlucks started.
Since then, these gatherings have grown. With volunteers, dances, and music, all extending the culture out of the classroom and into our community. It's become an event for all to cherish, bringing together Hispanic traditions from all over.
Another Spanish teacher here at Comsewogue, Carmen Genao, who also volunteers to help with the event, stated, “We share the food, different types of music, and dances. It’s a very rich culture.”
These are all different contributions to the event. Food is provided by students who want to share their own family recipes. This isn’t the only thing contributed by students. Students also have the opportunity to show dances that represent their culture.
The dances of Hispanic Heritage Night are what make this event so memorable. Students work together for roughly 4 months, creating bonds and friendships. "It's like we build a little family,” said student Yulissa Genao.
The community coming together to learn and share customs is what keeps these traditions alive. Hopefully, this event will flourish for many more years to come.
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