MARYSVILLE — Imagine singing in a high school musical, when suddenly, the microphones cut out.
It’s a familiar scene for students in the shared drama club for Marysville Pilchuck and Getchell high schools.
“There have been times where the mics will stop working, and I’ll think, ‘Well, I guess I’m just yelling the rest of this song,’ ” Getchell senior Emmaline Savidge said.
She might be able to save her voice next time.
The club in January was awarded $10,000, which was used to buy microphones. The money was part of a $25,000 donation to Marysville Pilchuck from Adriana Maldonado, whose children go to the school. She won the money through a company whose wellness products she sells.
Her son, Jesus German, is in drama. He’s a freshman, and Maldonado believes he’s benefited from the theater program.
“I think the drama club helped him strive for other things and to be more involved with school,” she said.
Roy Klementsen has been the drama instructor on campus for more than 14 years. The most common complaint he gets is the audience can’t hear.
The club uses ticket sales from one play to fund the next, Klementsen said. He’s never been able to buy high-quality microphones. The cheaper ones last about three shows and use hundreds of batteries, he said.
“We got some that will last, which will be nice,” he said. “They will hopefully last a decade, until I retire at least.”
The students’ next show is “The Drowsy Chaperone,” which runs April 26 to 28, and May 3 to 5.
Jesus German is excited to be in his first musical, and for the audience to be able to hear.
Marysville Pilchuck junior Ashlyn Stoker has been in the club since her freshman year. She’s one of the vice presidents and is the assistant director for “The Drowsy Chaperone.” She also plays the show’s title character. Her world revolves around drama club, she said.
“I am so excited, oh my goodness, it’s all we’ve been talking about since we’ve been able to purchase the microphones,” she said.
The club is run by a student committee, which decided how to spend the donation.
The school plans to use the remaining $15,000 to paint Marysville Pilchuck logos in the lunch room, and for new projection equipment in the gym, Principal David Rose said. The new screen should release with the touch of a button.
Donations are made to the school throughout the year, but they’re usually not this large, he said.
“We have never in my lifetime gotten a donation of this amount with the ability to impact so many students,” Rose said.
Dulce German, Maldonado’s daughter and a junior at Marysville Pilchuck, thinks her mom’s donation will benefit the entire school.
“It makes me really happy and proud of her, because she worked really hard to do this and to support our school,” Dulce said.
Stephanie Davey: 425-339-3192; sdavey @heraldnet.com.
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