The Providence High School performing arts department earned high honors at choral and drama competitions held April 27-28. In only their second appearance at the National Heritage Festival, held in San Diego this year, the advanced Choral Ensemble took home a gold superior rating. Soloist Karl Ravancho won the Maestro award given to students who display extraordinary musical ability and sensitivity. As a group they have also been invited to The Festival at Carnegie Hall, a part of “The Elite Performance Series” in March of 2014. “I enjoy taking our choir to competitions; it really brings out the best in them,” said Marisa Bradfield, choral director since 2009. “Our choir puts in a lot of time for practice and it's good to see they are being rewarded for their efforts.” On the same weekend, Providence’s drama department, under the direction of Jeremy Kent Jackson and Dominic Catrambone, took 12 entries to the Drama Teachers Association of Southern California (DTASC) Shakespeare competition in Fullerton. With more than 70 schools and 2,500 students competing, 10 out of Providence’s 12 teams made it to the semifinals. Three groups performing scenes from various comedies and tragedies made it to finals and were singled out by the judges for honorable mentions as were solo monologues by Sakile Odimo and Amely Sijo. On May 10, the students performed their competition pieces for parents and friends at the Providence High Annual Shakespeare Festival, held on the Burbank campus. {gallery width=100 height=100}gallery/2013/0517/sfprovidence/{/gallery}
