Mary Mykhaylova

Setting aside their acting and directing endeavors of the past, advanced drama students are becoming playwrights this semester, taking a stab at producing their own individual screenplays. Though still under the supervision of teacher Christopher Mahle, the class is mostly being taught by Dan Moyer, a representative from TheatreWorks, a regional theatre company based in Palo Alto. “The goal is to have each student write a short play,” said Moyer. “A few of them will be selected and have staged readings at TheatreWorks using professional actors.”

At Coffeehouse, students will have the opportunity to enjoy a concert of music and comedy in a laid-back atmosphere. “Coffeehouse is a variety show set in a cafe atmosphere,” said senior Lauren Henderson, who is organizing the event. “It's a great, laid-back evening that showcases a lot of talent which will range from comedic to instrumental.” This annual fundraiser for the drama department will be held at 7:30 p.m. on March 20 in the Little Theatre. Tickets are $5 and will be sold at the door. In addition, food and beverages will be sold at an additional price.

Out of 250 top skaters, senior Mark Suciu placed ninth at the 15th international annual “Tampa Am” competition in Tampa, Florida, in early December. The contest was open to all skateboarders worldwide, and each participant was sent by a sponsor to compete. "It's a little ironic to me that skateboarding competitions get the most coverage, because competitions are such a small part of skateboarding," said Suciu, who does not particularly like contests, and says most true skateboarders share the same anti-competitive attitude.

Out of 250 top skaters, senior Mark Suciu placed ninth at the 15th international annual “Tampa Am” competition in Tampa, Florida, in early December. The contest was open to all skateboarders worldwide, and each participant was sent by a sponsor to compete. "It's a little ironic to me that skateboarding competitions get the most coverage, because competitions are such a small part of skateboarding," said Suciu, who does not particularly like contests, and says most true skateboarders share the same anti-competitive attitude.

Cast members of light-hearted musical “Anything Goes” set sail with the premiere of their long-anticipated show this Thursday. Other performances take place Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and there will also be a matinee on Sunday at 2 p.m. "This show is different from others we've done in the past because of all the extra effort that has gone into directing each specific aspect of the production," said junior Chaz Main, who plays Sir Evelyn Oakleigh, a wealthy Englishman with a quirky accent.

After a mere three weeks in between productions, the drama department promptly cued the auditions for winter musical “Anything Goes” two weeks ago. This Cole Porter show is different from the usual repertoire of annual musicals, all due to one unique addition: tap dancing. Susan Dini, the principal’s secretary and an avid tap dancer, has stepped up to take the lead as choreographer for the show.

The drama department successfully showcased fall play "On the Razzle" during the weekend of Oct. 22-25 at the McAfee Center, despite difficulties such as illness, issues with scene changes and cues and a smaller audience turnout than had been seen in the past. "There were a lot of bugs going around during rehearsal," said sophomore Natalie Berg, who played a Scottish woman. "Everyone was in really close contact. It was hard not to get sick." The play, by British playwright Tom Stoppard, was directed by drama teacher Chris Mahle.

Grueling hours of rehearsal will finally pay off this weekend as the drama department showcases its fall play “On the Razzle” in the McAfee Center. Thursday night’s opening was the first of four continuing with evening shows this Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and a Sunday matinée performance at 2 p.m.

Despite it being a mere few weeks into the school year, the drama department has hit the ground running with prompt auditions both inside and outside the classroom. While the annual fall play “On the Razzle” is already rehearsing, advanced and honors drama students have begun to direct and act in mini-productions of their own. On the Razzle

Unlike the Kick-Off Dances from previous years, this year’s “Let it Rock…and Roll” Dance is scheduled for Sept. 25–almost a month later than usual. The head dance commissioner, senior Krittika Patil, attributes the shift to a timing issue and desire to provide the students with a better experience. “We tried to coordinate the dance with a football game to make both more spirited, but since games end late, we realized the dance would be short and very hectic,” she said. “Students wouldn't get the full three hours at a dance.”

Big Brother, a fictitious character created by George Orwell in his book “1984” as a representation of a totalitarian system seems to be making a return appearance in our own government.

Typically, the election process for ASB has been held in the classrooms and administered by teachers. This year, voting was held in the quad in an attempt to lower the burden on teachers and find a more democratic election method; however, this new routine resulted in a dearth of student participation.

If legislation proposed by Democratic assemblyman Tom Ammiano of San Francisco is signed into law, any Californian over 21 would be able to legally purchase, and be taxed for, marijuana from specialized vendors.

Recently, California passed a proposition that bans same-sex marriage, though it had been previously deemed legal by the California Supreme Court in a ruling that was valid for 173 days.

Many students came to school on Nov. 13 with arms embellished with pens and sharpies that spelled out a single word–love. These students were participating in a national day of awareness, To Write Love on Her Arms Day. This symbolic event was hosted by the non-profit organization, To Write Love on Her Arms (TWLOHA), whose goal is to present people with hope and find help for those struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury and suicidal thoughts. According to its website, TWLOHA’s vision is, “the possibility that your best days are ahead…that we're more loved than we'll ever know. The vision is hope, and hope is real. You are not alone, and this is not the end of your story.”

A unique student debate took place on Oct. 26—and no, it had nothing to do with the current presidential election. The debaters who participated did the usual—introduction, rebuttal and counterattacks, but in French.

Three 1993 alumni, Steve Adams, Zach Gill and Dan Lebowitz, formed Animal Liberation Orchestra (ALO) when they were students in Redwood Middle School. Since then, they have come as far as a record label and a Song of the Year nomination for their song Maria for the Jammy Awards, a play on the popular Grammy awards show. While the Grammys recognize mainstream music artists, the Jammy Awards recognizes “jam bands,” or groups of artists associated with live, improvisational music.

A police car pulls up outside a well-lit house. Inside, kids are yelling and dancing to loud music. When the cops are spotted, a frantic rush to hide beer bottles and escape the party begins. These days, however, such a scene is far less common. Saratoga teens have less to fear from sheriff’s, deputies, and local police, some of whom no longer penalize underage drinking at parties. Without the previous repercussions of breaking the law by consuming alcohol, students are often allowed to drive home intoxicated, jeopardizing their safety.

Saratoga is finally staking out its place in the music scene. Hardcore band Revive the Lifeless and senior acoustic guitarist Neil Shenoi will be performing tonight from 7:30-9 p.m. at the Saratoga Recreation Center, and senior Vivian Wang will also be producing another show for her company Sideways Productions. Revive the Lifeless members seniors Sean Pierce, Ryan Kerin, Devin Rigg and Kelvin Tow and sophomore Derek Tow, along Shenoi, will share the stage with local bands Amerson and the Ringer.

Saratoga is finally staking out its place in the music scene. Hardcore band Revive the Lifeless and senior acoustic guitarist Neil Shenoi will be performing tonight from 7:30-9 p.m. at the Saratoga Recreation Center, and senior Vivian Wang will also be producing another show for her company Sideways Productions.

It’s the middle of a P.E. class. The girls’ locker room is empty, and all of the students’ backpacks are stowed away inside their lockers. All except for one. One student forgets to put her backpack inside her locker because she had dressed quickly to avoid being late.

Forming a band takes the right combination of timing, talent and creativity, and four Saratoga High students recently achieved that feat by forming Revive the Lifeless, a metal band that has now recorded two original songs and two covers.