Caleb Gottry attends Chandler Preparatory Academy and is a member of the AIA’s Student SID program.

In the closing lines of The Outsiders, Ponyboy Curtis says, “When I stepped out into the bright sunlight from the darkness of that movie house, I had only two things on my mind: Paul Newman and a ride home,” but in the weeks prior, senior Noah LoBue, the face of Ponyboy in Chandler Prep’s production, had a lot more to think about than that.

Despite being injured for a few games this year, Titan fans saw LoBue run and receive the football, scoring touchdowns for Chandler Prep on the field. From the start of the school year until just a couple of weeks ago, LoBue has been a student in an honors curriculum, a college applicant, a slotback receiver, and the star performer in his drama class. When the football season drew to a close, he was no less a busy man and he was not the only one. LoBue spoke to me about juggling football and theatre specifically:

“I love football, but I’ve always had a spot in my heart for theater as well. The great thing about Chandler Prep is that it gives us the opportunity to participate in many things, instead of forcing us to commit to one thing and make that our life. From diving into a Ponyboy monologue during football drills to tackling someone in drama just for fun, I appreciate that I can do two things that I love.”

At Chandler Prep, all of the seniors take a semester-long theatre course for the second time in their high school careers. This means that half of the senior class of 2022 studied drama history and theatrical terminology, performed two monologues, and produced a full-length modern stage play this semester. Chandler Prep drama teacher Aaron Blanco cast the two senior classes for the plays The Outsiders and The Adding Machine and he directed both plays, but the students created the set and costumes, programmed the lights and sound, and performed in the plays. Blanco explained the benefits of everyone’s mandatory participation in the arts:

“I think it’s a beautiful thing that the Arts are mandatory at our school. So often are the Arts forgotten and neglected, but they are a center piece at CPA. The Arts give us an opportunity to engage and empower young people—to give them the chance to bring everything they’ve learned to a central point and express these ideas and connect to others.”

One of several three-sport-athletes in the Class of 2022 is Zach Romesburg (football, basketball, and baseball). Romesburg took the stage in The Outsiders as a Social named Bob Sheldon whose death triggers several key events in the play. Bob’s love interest, Cherry Valance was portrayed by senior Fallon Sannes, a cross country runner and a member of speech and debate. Her performance of the spunky teen brought the audience to life several times.

On Friday November 12th, more seniors took the stage to perform The Adding Machine. Guard and defensive tackle for Titan football and shotput thrower for the track team, Ian Pelczarski played the role of Shrdlu, the protagonist’s “guide” in the afterlife. It was a later evening show to accommodate cast member Alyson Mingus who arrived after the 2A semifinals volleyball match.

Noah LoBue, to some just a slotback receiver, had 281 lines in The Outsiders, but on Wednesday, November 10th, he delivered every single line with clarity, confidence, and pure emotion that could be felt by every person watching his brilliant performance.

The Outsiders was a huge success and one of the best senior plays of the Blanco-era at Chandler Prep. After much work of their own, the cast of The Adding Machine imitated the success of The Outsiders on Friday November 12th in the Michele Davis Theater. Titan Up.