Brimming with a chuckling audience and actors bursting with expression, Monta Vista Saturday Night Live, a student-run production organized by the Drama department, was held in the Auditorium on Friday, April 4. The adaptation of NBC’s hit comedic late-night show featured student-written skits, three musical acts and a monologue delivered by its hosts — Special Education teacher Doug Leresche and first-year English teacher Rachel Cassar. The show ran from 7 to 9:45 p.m. with a 15-minute intermission where attendees and actors could grab concessions and stretch their legs.
With some of her students discussing the show and the producers emailing her, Cassar agreed to co-host the show with Leresche. She says the student-directed skits, combined with the hosts’ freedom to personalize their monologue, made for a heartwarming show. Cassar specifically recalls her impromptu decision to include a costume switch at rehearsal.
“The show is just a reminder that the theater community is so wonderful, out of the box and creative,” Cassar said. “As an English teacher, this is always what I’m hoping for my students — that they can improvise and see the joy in communicating and connecting.”
Producer and Drama student Aayushi Ayalasomayajula says dealing with communication and organization with a cast so large was a challenge. She admitted the buildup and preparation for the show felt stressful, with this being her first time running a show.
“I learned a lot about communication, and it’s honestly really, really hard to get a message across to a group of 25 plus directors and 70 plus actors,” Ayalasomayajula said. “This production is basically everything I’ve worked for all of these years. I’ve been in Drama since I was a freshman, and I’ve waited for the day that I can finally produce and make a show.”
Junior Matias Ashtiani signed up for MVSNL for the first time this year with a friend, but they were separated when the skit groups were made. Ashtiani mentions how the new friends he made and the production crew were very supportive, especially with his stage fright. He says once he got onstage, his jitters went away and the experience was amazing.
Ayalasomayajula agrees and feels that there’s a very strong sense of community within the cast. It was her birthday on the day of production, and Ayalasomayajula says that she felt incredibly loved when she saw her heartfelt senior shoutout slideshow during the curtain call. With this being her first year teaching at MVHS, Cassar says it was nice to be a part of the school community and found MVSNL to have a very warm and comforting atmosphere.
“Honestly, I was really excited when they asked me,” Cassar said. “It can feel hard to understand the community, and it’s easy to kind of feel tucked away in your classroom. You just do your own thing in your own little world and don’t interact with a lot of people. It’s been really sweet to have the opportunity to see students who are not my students being excellent at what they enjoy.”
