Published April 28, 2025
BY NICOLE MIRSKI
Every April and May, the black box theater becomes a busy and exciting scene of actors running lines, teens painting props and student directors meticulously blocking each scene.
This year’s speaking actors for Princess Party Smackdown consist solely of seniors who have had little to no experience in theater. (courtesy of ZACH RASSMUSSEN)
Directed by CHS seniors Lillian Mendez and Zach Rassmussen, “Princess Party Smackdown,” the most recent Carmel High School theater performance, which premiers May 2, is the third installation of the recently restarted tradition of the senior show.
Prior to the pandemic, CHS student-directed plays only occurred intermittently, with the last one before the pandemic in 2017. The tradition was restarted in 2023 by Cole-Dahlia Prekoski and Ella Rasmussen when they were seniors because of their love for the theater program.
“When I was a freshman, the seniors at the time tried to do a Zoom play, but we only got as far as a table read,” says Prekoski. “Ella and I wanted to bring it back because of its ability to build community and skills among students.
This show, which occurs in the spring after the annual musical, was started in order to give seniors who have never acted a chance to do something fun and out of their comfort zone before they graduate.
“It provides an opportunity for upperclassmen, seniors specifically, to perform if they haven’t done so already,” says theater manager Jeff McGrath. “A lot of students at CHS have their sports or they have a ton of academic responsibilities, and this is after most of that.”
Senior Zach Rassmussen (second from left) directs actors on how to move around the stage and deliver lines for comedic impact. (photo by NICOLE MIRSKI)
The first play of the reinstated practice was “Alice in Wonderland” followed by “Oz,” yet this year’s directors wanted to choose a short play that would be accessible to new actors and one that contains humor as it would make the rehearsal environment more engaging.
“We really wanted something fun that didn’t seem too daunting to people who have never acted before,” says Mendez. “We were trying to have as many seniors as possible, because it’s an opportunity for those seniors to try something new at the end of their high school career.”
For seniors who have never participated in a theater performance at CHS, this opportunity to try something new proved to be insightful while also challenging.
“It feels really natural and collaborative which I really appreciate because it helps us newcomers come out of our shells,” says senior Alyssa Moore who plays Snow White. “But obviously, we still respect the directors’ notes and listen to their direction.”
Ella Rassmussen and Cole-Dahlia Prekoski, Class of 2023, reinstated the senior show in hopes that it will continue and flourish. (courtesy of ZACH RASSMUSSEN)
After a tedious process of getting the 2023 show off the ground due to scheduling and space issues, Prekoski and Ella Rassmussen hoped that as this tradition continued, future seniors would have an easier time throughout their entire process. This year, both directors expressed their gratitude for their predecessors and how much simpler the undertaking was.
“It’s becoming something that we can do and not something we have to fight to do,” says Zach Rassmussen. “And I hope that next year it’s going to be the same smooth process for the next directors. I hope they can continue to get involved and expand the program.”
The student directors leave this experience with a newfound appreciation for the directors and producers they spent their high school years with, and they get to leave with the knowledge they created a fun environment for their peers.
“Learning how to produce and direct as students is extremely helpful for getting hands-on leading experience in theater,” says Ella Rasmussen. “It was also just really fun and one of my favorite projects I did in high school. It’s something I’ll never forget.”
