Pace High School’s Academy of Visual & Performing Arts - Theatre Program continued nine straight years of success at the 2016 Florida State Thespian Festival in Orlando from March 16 to March 19 with the program’s first ever Critics Choice (Best in State) award.
Senior Leslie Castiblano made school history with her Critics Choice award in Costume Design for her designs for the play The Elephant Man. Castiblanco became eligible for the Critics Choice by winning a Superior (first place) award at the Festival for her designs.
Including Castiblanco’s historic win, the Pace Theatre Program won a Critics Choice, four Superiors, and two Excellents (second place) at the Florida State Thespian Festival. Pace thespians won a Superior in Large Group for their performance of Satisfied from the hit musical Hamilton, while seniors Amanda Prats and Alexandra Vazquez won Superiors in Publicity Design and Solo Musical respectively. Beatrice Arevalo and Therese Callison won an Excellent in Duet Musical and senior Antonio Rodriguez won an Excellent in Monologue.
Several Pace students also received callbacks from universities following auditions at the Festival. Pablo Pernia received callbacks from seven schools including the New York Conservatory, Florida International University, Nova Southeastern University, and the University of Jacksonville. Beatriz Arevalo got callbacks from Florida Gulf Coast, Nova Southeastern University, and the University of South Alabama, Antonio Rodriguez got callbacks from Relativity School and the New York Film Academy, and Victoria Jebian also received a callback from the New York Film Academy.
With their state competitions completed, Pace’s drama program looks forward its spring musical production of Chicago, with performances April 20, 21, and 22. Tickets are $12 pre-sale and available by contacting cplaguzman@pacehs.com.