Cole Porter (June 9, 1891 – October 15, 1964) was an American composer and songwriter. Many of his songs became standards noted for their witty, urbane lyrics, and many of his scores found success on Broadway and in Hollywood films. Born to a wealthy family in Indiana, Porter defied his grandfather's wishes for him to practice law and took up music as a profession. Classically trained, he was drawn to musical theatre. After a slow start, he began to achieve success in the 1920s, and by the 1930s he was one of the major songwriters for the Broadway musical stage. Unlike many successful Broadway composers, Porter wrote the lyrics as well as the music for his songs. After a serious horseback riding accident in 1937, Porter was left disabled and in constant pain, but he continued to work. His shows of the early 1940s did not contain the lasting hits of his best work of the 1920s and 1930s, but in 1948 he made a triumphant comeback with his most successful musical, Kiss Me, Kate. It won the first Tony Award for Best Musical. Porter's other musicals include Fifty Million Frenchmen, DuBarry Was a Lady, Anything Goes, Can-Can and Silk Stockings. His numerous hit songs include "Night and Day", "Begin the Beguine", "I Get a Kick Out of You", "Well, Did You Evah!", "I've Got You Under My Skin", "Let's Do It, Let's Fall in Love", "My Heart Belongs to Daddy" and "You're the Top". He also composed scores for films from the 1930s to the 1950s, including Born to Dance (1936), which featured the song "You'd Be So Easy to Love"; Rosalie (1937), which featured "In the Still of the Night"; High Society (1956), which included "True Love"; and Les Girls (1957).

Dek Ingraham is a Pittsburgh-based director, actor, administrator, educator, and life-long student of theatre. Some of his most memorable projects include directing the North American premiere of Phil Willmott’s The Master’s Boy and associate directing the London premiere of The Guys by Anne Nelson. From 2006-2012 he served as a founding member and Managing Artistic Director of Phase 3 Productions. He is the creator of Prime Stage Theatre’s Second Stage series where he developed an evening of the speeches of John F. Kennedy to mark the 50th anniversary of his assassination that now resides in the Kennedy Presidential Library. He held the position of Festival Director for the Pittsburgh New Works Festival from 2015 - 2021 where he also served on the board of directors from 2010 - 2021. Before joining the SSA community in July of 2021, he proudly served the arts community of the Pittsburgh region for 13 years as a staff member at the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council. Dek studied Theatre at Marietta College and, after a 15-year hiatus, completed his undergraduate degree at Chatham University in 2020. He holds an MFA in Directing and Theatre Pedagogy from the University of Idaho.

Mr. Gross has been a part of the Shady Side performing arts faculty since 2011, having taught at the Middle School for eleven years before moving to the Senior School in 2022. Mr. Gross has performed in many theatrical productions throughout the Pittsburgh region, and these days he mainly enjoys singing with Voces Solis and Pittsburgh Opera. He loves the work he gets to do with our talented musicians in the orchestra and choral ensembles, and he has had a blast working with this excellent group of humans in Anything Goes!

Austin Davidheiser is Shady Side Academy's Technical Director and has designed sets, lights and/or sound for over two dozen SSA theatrical productions during his 13 years at the Academy. During that time he has enjoyed mentoring many students on SSA's stage crew. He was fortunate enough to travel to Edinburgh, Scotland twice with SSA students who were selected to perform at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. With over 25 years of professional experience, Mr. Davidheiser has had the opportunity of working in nonprofit, professional, industrial and educational theater (both at the university and high school level). A transplant from the eastern side the state (E-A-G-L-E-S, Eagles!). Mr. Davidheiser received a BA in Theater Arts from DeSales University and studied lighting design at Ohio University. Prior to coming to SSA he worked as the Technical Director for Kutztown University’s Speech, Communications and Theater department, designing lights as well as overseeing the construction and installation of, among others, Kutztown’s production of Lucky Stiff, which was selected to attend the KCACTF regional competition in 2006. Some notable credits at SSA include On The Verge (2010); Into the Woods (2015); The Addams Family (2017); Little Shop of Horrors (2019); A Midsummer Night’s Dream (2020 Prime Stage Drama award winner for Best Crew); She Kills Monsters (2021) and Pippin (2022 Gene Kelly award winner for Lighting Design). Most recently Austin designed the set for last November’s production of Big Love.

Dr. Amanda Jane Olmstead (Choreographer) is delighted to be working on her nineth production at Shady Side Academy. Some of her SSA credits include West Side Story (2013), Mystery of Edwin Drood (2019), Chicago (2023), and Zombie Prom! (2024). Dr. Olmstead received her PhD in Theatre and Performance Studies from the University of Pittsburgh and her MA in Performance Studies from New York University. She is currently faculty in the Theatre Arts department at the University of Pittsburgh as well as in the School of Drama at Carnegie Mellon University. Her book Andy Blankenbuehler: A Critical Companion, focusing on the work of the famous Hamilton choreographer will be released by Bloomsbury Publishing this summer! During the summer Dr. O acts as the Director of SSA’s middle school summer program, Camp Ren. She also choreographs musicals for Montour School District and the University of Pittsburgh. Choreographing for SSA senior school musicals is one of Dr. O’s brightest joys. She is incredibly grateful for our incomparable production and creative team and wants to send a huge shout-out and thanks to her Dance Captains, Lindey and Özge, for jumping in headfirst and stepping up as inspiring young artists and teammates. And to her Assistant Choreographer, Hanna, for all of her incredible creativity, enthusiasm, patience, and leadership—truly, we could not have done this whale of a show without you! All of the love and thanks to our cast and crew.

Ian Hughes is in his eighth year as a faculty member at Shady Side Academy, and his second as Director of Bands at the Senior School. Prior to joining the Academy, he taught band, general music, orchestra, and chorus at Riverview School District, Commodore Perry School District, and Robert Morris University. He received his BA in Music from Grove City College, his M. Ed. in Independent School Leadership from George Mason University, and has done graduate work in music at Duquesne University and The Juilliard School. This is Ian’s second production at Shady Side Academy, having directed the Gene-Kelly-award-nominated pit orchestra for Chicago in 2023. Musical theater is a genre he has loved since his parents took him to see a touring production of West Side Story as a young child. One of his theater highlights is playing both Uncle Henry AND French horn in the pit orchestra for his high school's production of The Wizard of Oz.

Ava Isasky (Form VI) is thrilled to step into her role as Assistant Director in this year's musical, Anything Goes! From an early age, the arts have been an essential part of Ava's life. She has been singing for as long as she can remember and began dancing at just three years old, performing with various dance schools throughout her childhood. Ava has participated in past Shady Side Academy productions of We Will Rock You, Zombie Prom, and Chicago. She now continues to strengthen her performance talents as a member of Shady Side's Chamber Choir and as a club leader of the Bulldog Bellas, an all-female a cappella group on campus. Beyond the stage, Ava brings her energy to the Shady Side cheer squad, where she combines her spirit and dance skills to support her school's football team. Whether she's singing, acting, dancing, or now directing, Ava is always excited to share her passion for the performing arts. She is so excited for audiences to experience the incredible show she has helped bring to life!

Hanna Singhi (Form V) joined Shady Side Academy in 6th grade and is excited to be in her third musical production at the Senior School. Beginning her formal dance training at the age of three, Hanna has always had a passion for movement. Over the years, she has received training from Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School, Allegro Ballet Academy, and Yanlai Dance Academy. She was also accepted into and completed Boston Ballet School’s Summer Dance Program and Point Park University’s International Summer Dance program, receiving an artistic merit scholarship to the latter. Outside of dance, Hanna plays the piano and violin. In addition, she is a member of the Pittsburgh Northstars Rhythmic Program and won the 2024 National Advanced Group Championship as well as placed third overall at the 2025 National Championships with her team. She was also recognized by the Pennsylvania Senate for her achievement in rhythmic gymnastics. When she’s not dancing or at gymnastics, Hanna likes to coach and teach both sports, read, learn new things, hang out with friends, be creative, sleep, and have fun.

Sam Davidheiser (Form VI) is exited to be the assistant lighting designer again for this year’s musical. They’ve been the ALD twice before (We Will Rock You, Zombie Prom) and co-designed once previously (RUR). Most recently they were the lighting designer for Big Love. They have had a blast working on this final musical of their SSA career.

Tron McConnell (Class of 1971) had been a member of stage crew (specializing in sound and lighting) when he was a student at SSA, and has been assisting with the winter musical productions at the Academy since 2008. He has worked on the productions of “Barnum”, “Guys and Dolls”, ”Kiss Me Kate”, “The Music Man”, “West Side Story”, “Grease”, “Into The Woods”, “Curtains”, “The Addams Family”, “Anything Goes”, “Little Shop of Horrors”, “The Mystery of Edwin Drood”, “Pippin”, “Chicago”,"Zombie Prom", and this year's production of "We Will Rock You". He finds that his engineering background is an asset for the design and construction tasks with which he is involved. Mr. McConnell wants to thank Austin Davidheiser and Dek Ingraham for giving him the opportunity to work with them on this year’s production and he also wishes to thank the cast, production staff, and pit orchestra for their efforts. And finally, he wishes to thank the students on stage crew with whom he has worked this year, for their dedication, their positive attitude, and their hard work.

Amy Davidheiser serves the Academy as calendar and spirit store coordinator and has had the pleasure mentoring SSA's student stage managers since 2013. She previously worked as an Equity and educational stage manager for more than a decade, primarily for regional theaters in the Philadelphia area. She was also the program stage manager for nine summers at the Pennsylvania Governor's School for the Arts, an intensive program for gifted high school students in theater, dance, music, writing and visual arts. Favorite productions include The Miracle Worker and Sweeney Todd (ACT I Productions;) The Screwtape Letters (Lantern Theater Company;) and Forever Plaid, Mountain, Evita, and Hamlet (Bristol Riverside Theater.)

Britt Pierce is an audio engineer with an education in music technology who lives for the unique satisfaction of creating just the right blend of music and voices.

Emily Lin (Form IV) is excited to be a Stage Manager for the Winter Musical, after being a SM for the Fall Play for the first time. She has been a part of the SSA theatre community since her freshman year, and she is excited to keep engaging with the performing arts community. She is looking forward to seeing all the hard work come together and hopes that everyone enjoys the show.

Faiza is thrilled to be back for year 3 of the winter musical. She has been at SSA since 6th grade and has worked on both the play and musical for the past few years. Stage managing is very fun for her and she loves getting to be part of the community. This production has been incredibly rewarding to work on and she is so excited for the audience to come see it.

Caroline Smith (Form V) has been a part of the musical since freshman year, and cannot wait to continue to be a part of the community.

Rylie Al-Anazi (Form IV) is excited to be a part of the SSA musical crew for this year's production of Anything Goes. She works behind the scenes for building the set and is working on running the show on deck crew. Having only done a few shows before this with less experience and knowledge, Rylie has quickly learned to adapt to the new environment and the importance of teamwork, communication, and attention to detail within this theatre production. In addition to her involvement in the musical, she is also active in softball during the spring and playing the violin throughout the year, where she continues to build skills in collaboration and problem-solving. In her free time, Rylie enjoys baking, drawing, writing, and listening to music, and she hopes to continue exploring all aspects of theatre crew. She appreciates all the help and patience she receives from her peers and directors. She is grateful for the opportunity to be part of such a talented group and can't wait for everyone to see the final product on stage!

Rowan Penelope Barndollar (Form III), while new, is eager to learn more about crew and help out wherever she can. She would also like to point out that everything is a weapon if you think about it hard enough, (Rowan Penelope Barndollar, everyday), and remember that according to all known laws of aviation, there is no way that a bee should be able to fly. Its wings are too small to get its fat little body off the ground. The bee, of course, flies anyways, because bees don’t care what humans think is impossible (anonymous source but probably the bee movie or Albert Einstein or something).

Layla Bey (Form V) enjoys her job of painting the set for the musical Everything Goes. This is her second year working on the stage crew, and her second year of attending Shady Side Academy. Her first year, she also painted the set and worked with the audio and video effects for the musical We Will Rock You. Outside of SSA, she has never had any experience working behind the scenes on a musical, but she has been in many plays during her childhood. Some of her hobbies include: reading books, specifically fantasy and historical fiction; building miniature sets and Lego kits; making smoothies, growing her collection of trinkets, drawing, exploring new places, vlogging, playing cozy games on her Nintendo Switch, and listening to music. She enjoys finding new hobbies to try and books to add to the mini library in her closet. During the school day, she enjoys going to her math, physics, art, and computer science classes, but during her free periods, she is often found eating lunch in the Chill Room.

Eva Bugarija (Form III) is excited to be working as a painter on Anything Goes. This is her first time doing any crew work on a musical and she enjoys it very much, especially since drawing and painting have always been fond hobbies of hers. She is an extremely outgoing individual and has no problem socializing with other theater members. Eva enjoys listening to music while doing crew work. She listens to a wide range of music, though some of her favorite artists are Nine Inch Nails and Deftones. In her free time, Eva likes to watch movies. Her recent favorites are Perfect Blue and Moonrise Kingdom. Though she has never worked on a musical before, she has always found them to be very interesting and entertaining. Her favorite musical is Cabaret, which her mother introduced to her. She is very close with her sister and is happy for her to go to college next year, though she will certainly miss her. Eva’s hobbies include reading, writing, and drawing as well as shopping with her friends. She hopes to visit London when she is older and either become a psychologist or psychiatrist. Her time in the musical has been extremely fun and she can’t wait to join again next year.

Ella Chen (Form IV) is excited to be working her second year as part of the Stage Crew for the Shadyside Academy theatre department, and even more excited for everyone to come see Anything Goes! Ella is an avid member of Mock Trial, Ethics Bowl, Art Club, Comic Book Club, and Givology, and spends her time between rowing, drawing, studying, and working backstage (of course). In addition, she enjoys making comic books, reading books and newspapers, watching Wes Anderson movies, and calling with friends to play games or chat. Her favorite movie is Isle of Dogs and she has been really enjoying reading Hamlet in English class this semester. She has two dogs at home, Milo and Presley, and an older brother, Evan. During crew work days Ella enjoys painting, doing tasks, conversing with friends and fellow crew members, and sneaking glimpses of dance rehearsal sessions in between. She is looking forward to hearing and seeing the tap dance numbers on the set, and also finally seeing all the costumes! However, Ella is most excited to see the ship completed on stage (with all of the paint and rivets on), and to hear all the performances from the actors.

Mahika Chopra (Form IV) is thrilled to be part of the crew for Anything Goes this year. Although this is her first time working behind the scenes, she has enjoyed learning new skills and connecting with a new group of people throughout the rehearsal process. This is her seventh year at SSA, and over that time she has participated in three previous theater productions. In addition to theater, Mahika is in her second year as a member of the Bulldogs cheerleading team, where she is a flyer. Outside of school, she loves spending time with friends and family and enjoys outlets such as writing poetry, cooking and baking, and sleeping. She also loves experimenting with new fashion trends and personal styles, which is one of the reasons she especially enjoys being part of the wardrobe crew. Mahika has been playing the piano for twelve years, an experience that has deeply shaped her appreciation for the arts. Her favorite subject is English, and she is a co-leader of one of the school’s creative writing clubs. Having participated in several screenwriting programs, she enjoys analyzing the structure and writing techniques used in the show’s script. Through this experience, she has developed an interest in playwriting and hopes to one day try writing a play of her own.

Gunnar Conley (Form III) is excited to be part of his first high school production with the Shadyside Academy Theater Department. He previously spent two years working on stage crew at St. Edmund’s Academy, where he was a dependable and valued crew manager. Gunnar brings a growing set of technical talents to the theater, along with a long-standing fascination with woodworking, whether carefully planning small, complicated projects or enthusiastically cutting pieces of wood to see what he’s inspired to create. Known for his kind and generous heart, Gunnar genuinely enjoys helping wherever he is needed and will gladly dedicate as much time as possible to ensure a production runs smoothly. He values the bonds and sense of connection formed while working on a production and takes pride in being part of a collaborative, hardworking team. Gunnar has thoroughly enjoyed working on Anything Goes and is grateful for the opportunity to learn, grow, and share his talents with such a talented and supportive crew. He is also known for mastering the art of appearing totally unorganized while actually being… completely unorganized.

Chloe Cowie (Form V) is excited to be part of crew this year. This is her second year at Shady Side Academy, and she enjoys listening to music, sleeping, hanging out with her friends, and reading.

Bella De Sanctis (Form V) is a member of deck crew for the musical this year. This is her fourth year at Shady Side Academy. Previously, she was on deck crew for We Will Rock You and the lighting board operator for Zombie Prom and Frozen. In addition to her involvement as crew for the musical, she does ultimate frisbee in the spring. Her interests include drawing, reading, biking, architecture, and playing Minecraft. Also she hopes you enjoy the show.

This is Evey’s second time working on Crew and she is excited to have a bigger role in this year’s production. Wether it’s working in the shop and leaving covered in bruises and sawdust, or fighting for her life on the Genie lift, she enjoys the chaotic nature that crew days offer. Despite many road bumps the crew faced, including snow days and DH embracing his inner pirate, she is very proud of the work everyone has put into this show.

Evan, a student in Form VI, is thrilled to be part of this amazing production! He has been involved with the stage crew at Shady Side Academy for about four years. Initially, he spent his first two years painting, but he now primarily focuses on building the set. Additionally, he has worked in the wardrobe for all four years. Evan hopes you enjoy the show!

Harry Haggerty (Form III) is very happy to be helping create the set of Anything Goes, he joined cree after many years of creative building and art, hoping he could help make a believable set design, and take part in a community.

Jennifer (Form IV) is very excited to be on crew for her second year. SSA is the first place she has ever done musical, and she is very excited to learn more.

Ethan Jiang (Form V) is very excited to be a part of their first musical. Ethan has long been interested in what happens behind the scenes, but their previous involvement in the swim team prevented them from participating in a show. Their first contribution was arranging the grooms' crashout mashup for Big Love last fall, which they had a lot of fun working on. Ethan spends their free time programming various utilities and a variety of unfinished projects. They have also been known to procrastinate, most notably by putting off a feature to their productivity app that would stop them from procrastinating… *by* working on that app. Still, Ethan generally enjoys learning about technology and systems. Recently, Ethan returned to experimenting with electronics and has plans to build a hovercraft and synthesizer. Finally, Ethan has been producing music for the past four years and was an active member of Composers Club. Their favorite project was a collaboration with a few friends last year where they created an original music video together. Given all this, it should come as no surprise that Ethan is especially excited to work with the audio engineer this year. Ethan has had a great time working with the crew, and hopes you enjoy the show!

Julian Kaufman (Form V) joined Shady Side Academy in ninth grade. He's a boarder who's learned to navigate dorm life and build friendships with kids from all different backgrounds. Julian is part of the stage crew, where he works on building set pieces and collaborating with the theater team. He enjoys the hands-on problem-solving that comes with construction and the collaborative process of bringing a production to life. Working on stage crew has taught him how to work under deadlines, adapt when plans change, and contribute to something bigger than himself alongside his fellow crew members. As a student, Julian enjoys making connections between classroom learning and real-world applications. His strengths include project management and leadership, though he admits time management can be a challenge. Outside of stage crew, he's involved in DECA and completed a Parkin Fellowship in the Bahamas. Julian values being a supportive friend and teammate, whether that's helping build a set or just being there for his classmates during stressful times. Looking back on his time at SSA, he's proud of how he's grown and found his place in the community.

Nabeel is a crew member for the musical “Anything Goes”.

Ellie Laman (Form V) is excited to be part of the stage crew for her second year. She primarily works in props, where she helps make, find, and prepare everything the cast needs to bring the show to life. Whether it’s tracking down the perfect object or building something from scratch, Ellie enjoys the creative problem-solving that comes with prop work and loves seeing how small details make a big impact on stage. In addition to props, Ellie has also contributed to painting and has learned how to safely use a variety of power tools this year. Gaining hands-on experience behind the scenes has helped her build new skills and confidence, and she enjoys learning something new every time she’s in the shop or on stage crew call. She especially likes how collaborative the process is and appreciates how everyone works together to support the performers and the overall production.

Oliver McCarroll(IV) has had a lot of fun helping build this set. He is a lifer at Ssa and is running the front of house this year.

Julia Mele (Form IV) is proud to work with SSA’s musical production crew for her second year in a row. This year’s production requires a lot of effort within all fields of work. Julia has enjoyed pursuing her preferred section of work with painting and detailing alongside some of her friends in the crew, and is grateful to have secured a specialty of her interest in the arts. Julia is eager to see the final production as it comes together with cast and crew effort. Outside of crew, Julia plays volleyball and enjoys spending time during school and outside of school with her friends. She likes to read in her free time and visit the mall for an occasional shopping day. At home, Julia has one cat named Boots, a dog, and three other siblings. Julia would like to thank her peers for all the hard work they’ve done, and many thanks especially to DH and Tron for helping this production come together!

Brylie Morask (Form III) is thrilled to have been a part of Anything Goes. Usually an Actor, Brylie has performed in 5 musicals/plays over the years, most recently in SSA's own rendition of Big Love. Unfortunately, she will be skiing in Deer Valley during all the performances, but she hopes the pieces she put together won't fall apart.

Justin Ngan (Form V) is excited to be working on the crew for this year’s winter musical and is grateful for the chance to contribute to such a collaborative and dynamic production. Being part of the behind-the-scenes team has given Justin a deeper appreciation for the amount of coordination, creativity, and dedication required to bring a show to life, and he is thrilled to support both the cast and fellow crew members throughout the process. Outside of theatre, Justin is heavily involved in academics and extracurricular activities. He is a dedicated tennis player who enjoys the discipline, focus, and teamwork the sport demands, and he has been playing piano for over a decade. This winter musical has been an especially rewarding experience for Justin, allowing him to step into a collaborative environment where problem-solving and creativity go hand in hand. He values the sense of community that theatre fosters and enjoys being part of a team that works tirelessly behind the scenes to make each performance possible. Justin would like to thank the directors, designers, and fellow crew members for making this production such a memorable and meaningful experience.

Amari pamplin (form V) is on run/deck crew and has been doing crew since freshman year. He lives with his mom dad sisters grandparents and dogs. Outside of school he likes spending time with his friends and family, playing games, cooking, listening to music, and he also likes glacier freeze Gatorade a whole lot more than he should.

Breslyn Plesh Stock-Bratina(Form V) has been in the Shady Side theater program for three years, and this would be her sixth show to date. She has been a part of the Shady Side community since Kindergarten and currently has three younger sisters in the SSA Middle and Junior school. Bres also has four pets at home, two dogs and two cats, all of whom she loves dearly. She hopes you all enjoy the show and come back again to see next year's performances.

Aanvi Rai (Form III) is excited to be joining the production of the winter musical. This is her first year at Shady Side Academy, and she is looking forward to spending her remaining three years here. She previously went to Hampton Middle School, but made a transition to SSA. She worked on the painting and design of the sets. She was not familiar with painting at first, but she learned to get better at it over time. She enjoyed talking with friends, interviewing, and trying new things. She has not been a part of the making of any kind of musical, so she is thrilled to be exploring new experiences. She is excited to see how the musical will all come together. She tried many new things, including props, painting, costumes, and publicity. She was impressed by the dedication and hard work it takes to build a whole new set for the musical. She is excited to see the singers and dancers perform on stage. She is looking forward to people coming to see and watch the musical after all the work that was put into it. Overall, this experience has taught her new physical activities, social interactions, and most importantly the thought that goes into creating a set this huge.

As a lifer at SSA, Hudson Roscoe (Form III) is very excited to participate in the production of Anything Goes. Hudson has never done anything involving theater before but is quickly warming up to it and enjoying the experience. In his free time, he enjoys playing and listening to music. He plays and writes music in his band where he is the lead guitarist.

Nadim Tabbara is an enthusiastic member of the crew for the Shady Side Academy musical. He enjoys being involved behind the scenes and takes pride in contributing to a production that brings students together through teamwork and creativity. Being part of the crew has allowed him to feel connected to the school community and appreciate the effort that goes into making a successful performance. Outside of the musical, Nadim has a strong interest in music and athletics. He enjoys playing the violin, which has helped him develop discipline, focus, and an appreciation for the arts. He also plays tennis, an activity that allows him to stay active while building skills such as perseverance, strategy, and teamwork. Both activities help him maintain a healthy balance between creativity and physical activity. Academically, Nadim enjoys learning and values the opportunity to challenge himself. In his free time, he enjoys spending quality time with friends and family and values the relationships he has built with those around him. He also enjoys traveling, as it allows him to experience new places, cultures, and perspectives.

Cameron Traynor (Form III) is a 9th grade student who was very excited to help paint and build the set for Anything Goes. She joined the SSA musical community because her interest in musical theater has been growing, and she wanted to learn more about how productions work behind the scenes. Cameron has always been curious about how sets are designed and built, so this experience gave her a chance to learn new skills and be creative. She enjoyed working with other students and learning how to use different tools, paints, and materials to bring the stage to life. Being part of the set crew also taught her the importance of teamwork, responsibility, and communication. Cameron felt proud knowing that her hard work helped make the performance more exciting and realistic for the audience. This experience helped Cameron gain confidence and inspired her to stay involved in future productions. She is excited to continue learning about musical theater and hopes to explore more roles both on stage and behind the scenes. Overall, helping with Anything Goes was a fun and meaningful opportunity that allowed Cameron to grow, learn, and be part of something special.

Lex van Hoeve (form III) is excited to be helping present the musical Anything Goes as the light board operator. This is Lex’s first Musical with SSA and is ready to light up the show. Lex has experience with stage crew. Last year Lex did scene changes for the musical, Finding Nemo the Musical Jr, for the school St. Edmunds Academy. He was also one of the seagulls in the Musical.

Tom van Hoeve (Form V), is excited to partake in his first musical production here at Shady Side academy. Having settled into Shady Side Academy after joining last year, Tom joined stage crew ready to learn and gain experience in the art of crafting a scene. Having had previous experience building robots, Tom was able to pick up skills at a good rate, eventually becoming good enough to be trusted with a table saw. As this is his first year in stage crew, Tom is excited to see the results of the work and hopes it appeals to the audience. His favourite activities during crew include making doors and developing the ability to breath sawdust. Outside of school, Tom enjoys reading, playing video games, writing, and hanging out with friends. A fan of Sci-Fi, Tom is currently enjoying The Three Body Problem and will recommend to anyone that they should read Ender's Game. And as a large fan of Minecraft, Tom is glued to his desk for several hours each weekend which could probably be used for more productive tasks. In school, Tom enjoys Physics, History, and German. He has a passion for robotics and engineering and hope to pursue it later in his career. Tom is happy to welcome you to the show and hopes you enjoy.

Siena Weber is thrilled to be in Anything goes through the lens of crew! Siena is a sophomore who set her passion to musical theatre and is delighted to take part in her 15th production: Frozen; Aladdin; Mattress; Matilda; SpongeBob; Cinderelle; Mean Girls; 30 Reasons; Seussical; Chicago; Newsies; Shrek. She would like to thank her cast and production team for making her first production as crew so special!

Chloe Will (Form V) has been apart of musical for three years now and is excited to be apart of this production. She hopes everyone has a great time watching Anything Goes!

Audrey Xing (Form IV) is excited to be apart of this year's musical. She has been attending Shady Side Academy for two years now and this is the second production she has been apart of here at Shady Side. For the past few months at crew, Audrey has helped build and put together the ship and during the show, she will be operating one of the follow spots. Outside of musical, Audrey is also on the Shady Side volleyball team as well as yearbook and service learning. She is also an avid member of Comic Book, Givology, and Chiapas Club and a clarinetist in the symphonic band. Audrey would like to thank DH, Tron, Mrs. DH, Kyle, Dek, and Mr. Hughes and she hopes you enjoy the show!

Mana Zaidi (Form IV) is so excited to be involved in crew this year. Her favorite part of crew is helping with wardrobe. She has been going to SSA since seventh grade. Her favorite subject in school is english and her least favorite is either math or history. At school she is also a member of the JV Tennis team. In her free time she enjoys playing tennis, shopping, and doomscrolling. She also has one younger brother in elementary school. At home she usually spends her time doing homework and watching Netflix. Her favorite shows to watch while doing homework are either Gilmore Girls or Never Have I Ever because they are good background shows. Her favorite places to go are the beach and Starbucks. Her zodiac sign is an Aquarius and her birth stone is amethyst. If she could have any animal as a pet it would be an otter. Some of her favorite stores are Sephora, Hollister, and Brandy Melville. At home her microwave is her favorite item and the brand is GE. Mana also loves to try new things. This year she took a class in clay for her art credit and has really enjoyed learning to make pottery and glaze them. This is also her first year doing crew and she has learned so much and made great memories.

Eric Zhang (Form IV) is a dedicated and motivated student who takes pride in approaching both academic and extracurricular opportunities with curiosity, discipline, and enthusiasm. He is committed to challenging himself in the classroom while continually seeking ways to grow as a learner and as a member of the school community. Eric has developed a strong interest in problem-solving, critical thinking, and collaboration through his coursework and group projects. He values perseverance and organization, and he strives to bring these qualities into every responsibility he undertakes. Whether working independently or as part of a team, Eric believes in contributing thoughtfully and supporting those around him.