Michael Tricca
Staff Writer

With the end of the year rapidly approaching, Westford Academy Theater Arts wraps up its fourth and final season with the romantic comedy Shooting Star, written by Steven Dietz.

“As soon as I read [Shooting Star], I could not put it down. It made me believe in second chances; they’re incredible, but they’re not always needed. Believe that you can make a change, it’s never too late, as cliche as it sounds. You see that in our show,” said senior director Maggie Basinas.

Shooting Star features two old flames, hippie Elena Carson and conservative businessman Reed McAllister, as they reunite in a snowed-in airport. The cast is made up of sophomores; Reed will be played by Kevin Bicuinas, while the part of Elena has been double-cast, allowing for more actresses to take part in the production. Emma Coulliard played Elena the for the first weekend, on May 7th and 8th; Maddie Ross will be playing Elena this Thursday and Friday.

“[Elena] is like a college student who never really grew up and isn’t really an adult. She goes through some good soul-searching over the course of the show,” said Coulliard.

Ross elaborated on the show itself, saying, “[Shooting Star] has its serious moments, it has its funny moments; it’s very much a balance between those. It’s a lot about forgiving and moving on.”

Coulliard is excited to be apart of her first show in the Black Box and has enjoyed being apart of the production.

“I’m really excited to be part of my first Black Box show,” said Coulliard. “[Basinas] has been very encouraging, while also being critical and helping me get to my greatest potential.”

Being a two-actor show, Shooting Star is very dialogue-driven, and much pressure is put on the actors. Despite this, they have displayed a readiness for the role characteristic of one who is ready to perform.

Bicuinas elaborated on his role as Reed, saying, “[Reed] is a very […] passive sort of character who gets a second chance with an old friend back when his life was more interesting.”

Just as important as the acting portion of the show is the technical side of things. This aspect of the show is handled by freshman Cara Hackley and sophomore Shannon Chen.

“I am like a second set of eyes and ears [for Maggie]”, said Hackley, who is the assistant director, and also, in a last minute change, the sound board operator for a number of performances. “I’m nervous, but excited. [Maggie Basinas] pushes us to our best”.

Black Box productions are also unique in that they are directed by students who have taken the directing course. The only requirement for taking Directing is having passed Elements of Theater.

“I want to know how they’re feeling, they know how I’m feeling, and so they help build the foundation and then I fix it to make it aesthetically pleasing”, said Basinas of her cast and crew. As director, it is her job to organize rehearsals, guide the process, and determine how to interpret the piece.

During the process of making the show, the group has grown very close, and had many good experiences. The small, intimate setting of the Black Box is often a catalyst for this process; friends are made quickly.

“It’s been eight years in the making […] I was incredibly lucky to be cast in my freshman and sophomore years in two shows. We had such a good family relationship. […] They have us,” Basinas said.

Shooting Star opened last Thursday night, May 7, and continues this week on Thursday and Friday, at 3PM and 7PM.