October 21, 2023, Theater II attended a DTASC festival. A DTASC festival is a series of challenges that different theater groups from different high schools come together to compete in. 

Sadly, Hart High’s Theater II didn’t make it to the finals. 

“We sang the song “Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story” from the musical Hamilton. We didn’t make it to the finals because I personally feel we were not prepared enough, and a lot of the other groups had emotion when we didn’t.” said senior, KayC Reyes.

Charlie Molerio, who acted out a heart-wrenching monologue from A Long Day’s Journey Into Night by Eugene O’Neil, portrayed so much emotion throughout his act that he made it to the semifinals. 

“I ran the monologue during class two times and then ran it again with my dad another three times. I also did it a couple times alone, which helped portray the emotion. I used the emotional turmoil that has happened in my life to help the emotion I was able to give through the monologue,” Molerio, a sophomore, said. 

Back in the black box theater, rehearsals with full cast and crew are well underway for their Mamma Mia show.  

“I would say it is going pretty well actually–like being involved in the process and knowing what is happening every step of the way and being asked to do things. And [to] see what we are actually capable of and what our skill sets are so we can be put in the right positions, ”  Elliot Ward, a sophomore in Theater II said.