Senior Jonathan Cruz has been acting since seventh grade.

“I decided to do performing arts because acting seemed interesting,” Cruz said. “So I participated in one of them called ‘Seussical The Musical’ where I got the lead role. I got the LEAD ROLE! And from there I fell in love with acting.”

Cruz played  juror number 10 in the Texans On Stage’s production of ‘12 Angry Men’ Dec. 2 and 3.

“It felt kind of weird playing a role of a racist character, but at the end of everything it was fun, and I got to meet  a lot of people and grow together as a team,” Cruz said.

Freshman Javier Lozano said although acting wasn’t his first choice, he’s loving every bit of it.

“Well first I was actually supposed to be in technical crew,” Lozano said. “I was supposed to be helping with the lights and the sound, but Ms. Grogan was just like ‘Hey would you like to be the one being accused in the play?’ And she kind of just convinced me to join and do this, and it’s been really fun.”

In the play Lozano portrayed an 18 year-old accused of murdering his father. Lozano said has his own technique to overcome stage fright.

“I think of good thoughts that would make me feel happy inside, and to be more specific a thought that I think of is how my grandparents took me in when my mother couldn’t care for me anymore,” he said.

Senior Moises Jasso has been acting since his freshman year. He played the role of juror number 11.

“Last year’s production, we had a small cast and this year the cast was way bigger,” Jasso said.  “All the other years Ms. Grogan was the director, but this year Ms. Creamer directed it.”

Jasso plans to continue his acting career in college.

“I hope to get a fine Arts degree in UT Austin, and after that I’m planning to go to California for Hollywood and New York for the broadway,” he said.

Director Jeannette Creamer said she loves acting because it allows “you to be someone else and you don’t have to be yourself on stage.”

“I hope they learn some confidence to accept diversity,” Creamer said. “There were so many boys who didn’t know each other at all, but now they’re like brothers. I just really hope they had fun.”

Pamala Lovely

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