From November 6th to the 9th, the Buena Park Theater program presented their fall play, Stand and Deliver. The play follows the real-life story of Jaime Escalante’s (played by Juan Duran Garcia) mission to help a group of 18 students pass the AP Calculus AB exam. Without giving any spoilers, the script and performances will be sure to inspire you. I never expected a story about AP Calculus to be interesting, but I was captivated during every moment. Both the comedic and dramatic scenes were encapsulated with intense emotion by our BPHS actors. The show was more mature than the average high school play, dealing with themes of racism, economic hardship, discrimination, and illegal substances. These issues were handled with tact, impressively showing how these things can harm us and others. The lighting and set team did phenomenal work, as both of these elements were indispensable in creating immersion into the story. It is clear that every part of the theater program put in their best effort for this play, and those efforts paid off greatly.
After the play, I got a chance to interview Marvin Ramirez, who plays the role of Francisco “Pancho” Garcia. His favorite line from the show was, “No one has the right to accuse ME of RACISM!” The line was said by Alyssa Michel, who played Dr. Ramirez. The line was full of passion and emotion, taking the role of favorite line by many. Lastly, Marvin’s favorite memory from the show was eating Super Mex and being big on Saturday rehearsals. He remarked, “And we love Mr. G [Galindo] for that… these rehearsals are like some of the best parts of the shows and that’s why you know, no matter what role you get, being a part of it is so fun”.
Congratulations to our theater coyotes for hosting this outstanding show! We look forward to covering their production of The Little Mermaid, opening next semester.
