Como spring musical hits the stage
By Eric Erickson
Como’s Theater Department performed four energetic shows of “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling B-E-E” from March 17 to 21.
Audiences enjoyed Friday’s opening night, followed by a Saturday matinee and Saturday evening performance, concluding with a Tuesday afternoon show for students and staff during the school day.
Producer and music director Siri Keller, with director Suzanne Myhre and choreographer Maija Kelly, said it was an honor to work with such a dedicated cast and crew.
Keller said that the directors and choreographer wanted students to explore new skills without judgment. “We wanted to push these new artists forward into characters, songs, set and lighting designs that forced them to think inwardly as much as they did outwardly.”
Cast members included Roman Rivers, Genevieve DeGaetano, Emerson Spencer, Liam Donegan, Ellen Chinema, Xee Lee, Cece Hawks, Koda Karan, Par’iz Battee, July Paw, Jonathan Newman, Corry George Summers, Duazong Xiong, Lillian Mae, Lucia Rosewell and Ywa Hay Paw.
The crew consisted of Kaya Solheid, Freddy Gray, Vi Eicher, Maggie Fuller, Bella Becerra, Bean Bougie, Linnea Common, Charlie Dahl, Lila Kopp, Charlie McCabe, Lisa Truong, Clara Dunne, Ana Como, Millie Huth and Lily Pettiford.
History Day
Eleventh grade U.S. History students Paw Gay Say and Zariya Gemeda won the first-place prize for their website at the St. Paul Regional History Day competition. Their highly organized and well-researched project, which focused on the impact of Anne Frank’s Diary, advanced to the Minnesota State History Day finals at the University of Minnesota on April 22.
Seniors vs. staff basketball
The traditional seniors versus the staff basketball game in front of the student body to end the last day of school before spring break produced smiles, laughs and memories. The 30 students who volunteered to represent the class of 2023 and the 30 staff members who stepped up to play produced an entertaining extravaganza (which at times may have lacked basic basketball fundamentals!)
Advanced Placement exams
It’s AP exam season with subject-specific tests being administered from May 1 to 12 across the nation. Collectively, Como students are slated to take hundreds of exams covering content from 15 different courses with a goal of showing what they know and potentially earning college credit.
Prom
The 2023 Prom for Como juniors and seniors will be on May 12 at the Landmark Center in downtown St. Paul. This year’s theme is a Masquerade Ball.
This report was compiled by Eric Erickson, a Como Park Senior High School social studies teacher and regular contributor to the Bugle.
