After many long weeks of rehearsal, Dedham High School's Performing Arts Company (PAC) competed in the Massachusetts Educational Theater Guild (METG) preliminary competition at Stoughton High School and advanced with their production of Poor Clare. 

Since December, 38 students have dedicated hours upon hours in to putting this show together. All of the different parts that go into it: constructing sets, tailoring costumes, endless painting, and designing lights and sound.

To qualify for the next round, each show had to be under 40 minutes. With just under a minute to spare, Poor Clare hit that mark with a time of 38:47. 

When Soson was asked about her second consecutive win,  she said, “I'm so proud of the cast and crew of Poor Clare for their incredibly strong performance at Prelims on Saturday. Not only did we advance to the next round of the festival, but students were awarded with six all-star company awards - the most any school can be given. This is a testament to the high level of work ethic that student leaders instilled in the program. To be advancing for the second year in a row truly represents the consistently stellar theatre we are producing."

For the second consecutive year, the DHS PAC secured a place in the Semi-Finals. Alongside this impressive advancement, the cast and crew were honored with several awards recognizing their outstanding achievements. 

Costume Department - Jaydyn Corsetti, Maggie Kear, Willow Marsh, Jackie Luszcz. Dramaturg - Victoria Huff and Asst. Dramaturg Phoebe Blake

Set Design - Sky Barboush

Acting - Jackie Luszcz

Ground Row Design - Dakota O’Sullivan

Acting Scene Partners  - Phoebe Blake and Gia Romano 

Each show received feedback from other participating towns. One note writes, "The costume design was insane! I thought the mix of comedy and seriousness was very well paced. I think this show is super relevant today & can be truly important. It definitely made me think.”

Poor Clare by Chiara Atik is a humorous and modern retelling of the story of St. Clare of Assisi in 1211. It follows a wealthy woman whose life changes after Francis of Assisi prompts her to abandon her privileged life to restore the wealth gap. 

A note from a participating school wrote, “There has never been a more necessary time for a show like this, bless all of your hearts!"

Cast: Gia Romano, Phoebe Blake*, Jackie Luszcz*, Willow Marsh, Flow Peixoto*, Eli Gorden*Victoria Huff, Brendan Mongeon, Maddy Benatuil, Lily Conley*, Adlai Elmore

Technical Crew: Dakota O’Sullivan*, Nieve Gallagher, Maggie Kear, Sky Barboush*, David Kassab*, Corinne Elmore*, Sarah Walsh*, Keyes Martino-Harms, Yammy Tadesse, Jaydyn Corsetti*, Zoey Savov-Wong, Lily McDonough, Elena Goldsbury*, Elizabeth Castellanos-Sun, Kalia Brissot, Rhys Mazzaferro, Evan Bauman*, Nick Valle, Elizabeth O’Dea, Chris McDonough, James Lynch*, Paige Loughran, Aiden Lacy*, Ellie Taffe, Allie O’Neill, Bell Vaz, Megan Inocando, Sam DeShiro, Catherine Gallagher

*Seniors