Live from Washington Township, it’s Senior Directed!

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Jake Minnick '21

And live from Washington Township, it’s Senior Directed!

Senior Directed Cabaret, more commonly referred to as SDC, is back for its 25th anniversary, with performances on Sunday, May 16th and Monday, May 17th in the playhouse. Students of all grade levels have worked to perfect their ‘Saturday Night Live’ style skits and dance numbers to perform in front of a live audience.

This year’s directors, Taylor Wise ’21 and Shane Waters ’21, had to work through COVID-19 protocols, along with a number of roadblocks, in an effort to put on an entertaining show.

“As we all know, COVID and school have been so stressful and it was so nice to be able to make everyone happy by giving them the opportunity to participate in SDC,” said Wise.

“It’s been difficult getting things running. This year every event has been tough since we don’t really know anything, everything we did had to be in baby steps,” said Waters, “Every time new information came out, we did a little bit more, and for Taylor and I, it was very hard because once we start it is very hard to get us to stop.”

Wise and Waters were chosen as this year’s directors, a profound honor at the high school.

“Being named director was crazy,” said Waters, “I’ve wanted to be a director since I first saw SDC and when I got named director it was like a flood of happiness that I even forgot how to walk for a second (watch the video, I don’t know what happened). It felt like I finally checked something off my bucket list and now that the show is coming up it just all feels surreal.”

“I have never felt a bigger rush of happiness than when I received title of director. Since freshman year I dreamed of being able to coordinate this show with another senior and through all of the stress and craziness of this year, I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. I can’t wait for everyone to see the pure hard work and dedication not only Shane and I as directors’ put in, but everyone else as a cast. This cast really has made my days brighter. Seeing them all work so hard for something they love was the reason why I wanted to be director in the first place,” said Wise.

The show features a number of skits and musical acts. The members of Mr. Washington Township and this year’s Homecoming Court will even make a surprise performance, ending the night.

“If you come to SDC 2021, you can expect a night of laughter, stress relief, and nostalgia. SDC 2021 was designed by Shane and I to take us back through the year of 2020-21 through all of the events we may have missed, while of course keeping the tradition of SNL skits for pure enjoyment. You will see so many students from so many different clubs come together for this show and it is amazing, especially through COVID, how well it turned out,” Wise said.

Creating the show has even created best friends out of these two classmates.

“Taylor and I were just classmates who participated in shows together. This girl knows my whole life story now,” Waters said.

When asked how their friendship evolved during the planning of the show, Waters was quick to respond with a lighthearted, “She became my best friend throughout this and even though she became also one of the most annoying people in my life at times I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

Senior Directed Cabaret will be held in the 11-12 Playhouse, with tickets costing $5 and shows on Sunday, May 16 at 4 P.M. and Monday, May 17 at 6 P.M.