Producers, directors work around schedules to gain interest of prospective student actors 

Scattered all around the auditorium, groups of about four to six students gathered in separated clumps. Some sat close together huddled over a single piece of paper, while others continued their imitations of Bella, Edward, and Jersey Shore's Snooki. The students were gathered in their skit groups going over lines, while another group, was on stage rehearsing for Monta Vista Saturday Night Live and performing for drama  teacher Ms. Cornelison.

Co-producers of MV SNL, seniors Kelly Jackson and Revati Dhomse have worked to make the 10th MV SNL an event that the entire student body can participate in. According to Jackson and Dhomse, SNL is traditionally known for being a low commitment production. Directors of individual sketches carefully planned rehearsals to avoid time conflicts in the cast members' schedules

On Sept. 24, the MVHS Drama Department, in conjunction with almost 70 students of all grade levels, will be hosting the  MV SNL in the auditorium. 

Out of those 70 students more than half of them are students who have taken no more than one year of drama and don't participate in any other drama productions at MVHS. MV SNL is able to attract such a wide range of performers because the directors work around student actors' schedules.

"Everyone wants their five minutes of fame, but they don't want to put in so much commitment and rehearsal time," Dhomse said. 

For the first time since its initiation, MV SNL will be held at the beginning of the school year as opposed to early in second semester, and for the first time it will have two producers instead of just one. 

Outside of school rehearsals for other drama productions range from anywhere between 110 to 120 hours per production depending on role, a commitment most students can't make, whereas the total required rehearsal time for SNL is only six hours. According to Jackson, during auditions, students were asked to list out all their conflicts and casting was not only based on the audition but groups were made according to similar conflicts; having SNL at the beginning of the year rather than winter made it a lot easier on the drama department.

"We want to be able to include everyone and make sure that people know drama is for everyone," Jackson said. ìJanuary is usually a very busy time for the drama department, it's when we start launching our winter play and there is so much that's happening. It's just way too overwhelming."

Dhomse and Jackson were initially concerned that having SNL in September might make it harder to get freshmen interested since they would have been busy with other things, but both agreed that having SNL at the beginning of year has another perk of reaching out to new people and encouraging them to be a part of drama. 

But the early show hasnít stopped freshman brothers Tijani Karaborni and Faris Karaborni from being in the production. Tijani, who is taking Beginning Drama, found out about the production through word of mouth, and his drama T.A. encouraged him to audition. Faris on the other hand, who has never been a part of drama, performed for an audience the first time at his SNL audition. 

"When we heard that SNL was starting up, I thought this would be a really cool opportunity, so I just decided to join it,î Faris said. 

Tijani said that even though he was already involved, since SNL was a low commitment production, it was a good way to start off and get involved since he didn't want his academics to suffer. Both brothers will be in the Weekend Update sketch playing the Axe boys. 

"On stage, I don't really know what I'm looking forward to yet since it's my first time, Faris said. I think I'll be excited for whatever is thrown at me."