ELISE BARNATHAN

Performing in theatrical productions has been my favorite thing to do since I was in 3rd grade. That year, my parents put me in any and every club to let me try out different things and see what would stick. Drama club was automatically my favorite and I continued doing shows with them at my K-8 school until leaving after 8th grade. During some summers, I also participated in "Performing Arts Workshops," a theatre-based day camp for youth. These experiences provided the foundation for my love of theatre. When I reached high school age, I opted to attend a performing arts school, more specifically known as an "Arts & Technology Magnet." Here, I had the opportunity to audition for and enroll in music classes, dance classes, and theatre classes alongside my regular academics. Once again, theatre was my favorite. All students are expected to declare an Emphasis by their senior year, and it was not a difficult choice for me to choose a Theatre Emphasis. Achieving this emphasis required me to complete a Senior Capstone Project in the department. With this in mind, I applied to Assistant Direct a production with Children's Theatre, a class I had been in and loved for 3 years. I was selected and was given the opportunity to direct "The Penny Dreadfuls," which was an incredibly rewarding experience and an excellent capstone to my time at Santa Susana. I am pictured with the cast below, where we can all be seen joyfully pointing to our beloved teacher Melissa Albertson who retired after this year.