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SHDHS Drama
Emily Himonidis - ehimonidis@shdhs.org - Drama I / Drama II / Director
BA Secondary Education and Drama, AA Mathematics and Speech Communication, Magna Cum Laude, Thomas More College
MS Education, Northern Kentucky University
Before coming to SHDHS, Mrs. Himonidis performed in the Thomas More Villa Players for four years, performing in eight plays, as well as serving as technical director, head of publicity, head of makeup, lighting and sound director, stage manager, and student director. Mrs. Himonidis has also written and produced one-act plays of her own. During her five-year tenure here at SHDHS, Mrs. Himonidis has directed numerous plays, coached the Speech and Drama Team, serves on the school board, chaired the SHDHS Awards Committee, and served on the School Service Committee. During that time she has doubled the number of students participating in fall and spring productions at SHDHS to 60 students. Audiences are at full capacity for every performance.
The philosophy of the drama department is to involve as many students as possible in the productions, while providing as much exposure to all aspects of the performing arts. "I love this so much," says Kristin Dorgan ('05). "I can’t imagine a better place to study theatre, music or art. We get to work very closely with our band and chorus director, and the visual arts department for our props and costumes. Our teachers are very professional, and they push us hard technically and artistically. It is their high standards which make our productions such a fulfilling experience." Casey Peluso ('05) also agrees. "I was chosen to be student director for Godspell. I cannot even begin to describe the experience to you. It was amazing how much independence we were given to create our own vision for the show. Mrs. Himonidis teaches us everything we need to know technically about producing the show, like blocking, creating characters, editing scenes and directing." Kristin adds, "Children’s Theatre was a challenge because we had such a young cast and they required so much direction that we had to have four separate directors. In addition to that we had 67 cast members and six different sets. I couldn’t believe we pulled it off so well. Everyone who talked to us said they were so amazed at the quality and professionalism of the show."
"Teenagers don’t always realize how much they have to offer. Sometimes we literally have to pull and drag it out of them. But once they learn to express themselves, you have to just step back and let them run with it. Once you give them the proper guidance, then their creativity, resourcefulness and teamwork can leave you speechless."
SHDHS has produced the following plays and musicals during Mrs. Himonidis' tenure:
- The Good Doctor by Neil Simon
- A Night on Broadway (25 various songs and dances from 23 different Broadway musicals)
- The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson
- The Sound of Music by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II
- All I Really Need to Know, I Learned in Kindergarten by Robert Fulghum
- Godspell, conceived and originally directed by John Michael Tebelak, music and new lyrics by Steven Schwartz, and originally produced on the New York stage by Edgar Lansbury, Sturart Duncan and Joseph Beruh
- A Night of Children’s Theatre (included The Bremen Town Musicians by Emily Himonidis, How to Eat Like a Child by Delia Ephron, The Final Dress Rehearsal by Jack Frakes, Once Upon a Wolf by Steph DeFerie, Rapunzel Uncut by Mariah Everman, and Snow White – Interactive by Emily Himonidis
- The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
- A Night of One Acts (including: Man, Women, Flower by Dan LaRocque, The Seussification of Romeo and Juliet by Peter Bloedel, Check Please by Jonathan Rand, and Funeral Parlor by Christopher Durang).
- HONK! - A Musical Tale of the Ugly Duckling Books and Lyrics by Anthony Drewe, Music by George Stiles
- Another Night of One Acts: Oh – The Drama! (included Check Please 2, Mrs. Sorkin, DMV Tyrant, 15 Reasons Not to Be in a Play, Competition Piece, Quiet Misty Meadows)
- Once on this Island. Books and Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, Music by Stephan Flaherty. Based up the novel "My Love, My Love", by Rosa Guy
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