Whodunnit ‘The Alibis’ a hilarious dive into the ACHS theater community
What: “The Alibis,” eight short comedies about crime
When: Oct. 24 and 25 at 7 p.m. and Oct. 26 at 2 p.m.
Where: American Canyon High School Theater Arts Building, 3000 Newell Drive
Men typically go gray at their temples first. This is an important note for ACHS senior Kerry Cloud.
“I’m 75,” Cloud said convincingly as a fellow student dabbed more gray hair spray into his hair. Drama teacher Summer Heartt nodded in approval, and the students ran backstage to prepare for a final dress rehearsal of “The Alibis,” the theater program’s season finale.
The show is brimming with whodunnits acted in expert comedic timing by a talented cast of American Canyon youth — a must see for locals as much as it is for families and friends of the actors.
“The Alibis” is a murder mystery: eccentric billionaire J. Leslie Arlington has been found dead. Detective Casey Neptune takes the case, interviewing eight different suspects, among them, Arlington’s sister, his lawyer and his critic. In eight scenes spanning two hours (there’s an intermission) the play shows us the eight suspects’ alibis. Turns out, each alibi contains its own mystery, from hamster murder and jewel smuggling to secret reality TV addiction.
“They’re really good at comedy. They’re funny,” Heartt said of her current drama class. “And, they care about each other a lot.”
That care shines through in the cast dynamics onstage and backstage — joking with each other, running lines, fixing makeup, making sure to not overshadow each other during a scene.
The theater program, said Heartt, operates as a second home for most of the students. “It gives you a home in school, a community, a place to have lunch, to go after school; a place to be creative and learn to communicate.”
Senior Luisa Sandoval agreed. “This is where everybody feels most comfortable,” she said. “Everybody here is a friend. That’s why a lot of people stay [all four years] — because we grow together. We learn, we communicate, we tell ourselves we’re gonna do great before every show. It’s community.”
Standing at a little under 5 feet, Sandoval is innately charismatic, buzzing with energy. Her first language is Spanish, and, on top of school, she works part time at a restaurant to support herself. But performance has been her lifelong love.
In “The Alibis,” she plays a photographer, a medical student and a little kid. “The perks of being able to be so diverse is I can play different characters,” she told the Current as the call for act two rang out from a loudspeaker.
When the night’s dress rehearsal wrapped, cast and crew gathered onstage for feedback to prepare for the four-day run of the show. With each note, students cheered for each other and gave words of encouragement. It’s an immensely supportive group — but they’re not afraid of critique.
Lorraine Galvan, assistant director and ACHS senior, won Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of Mrs. Webb in last season’s production of “Our Town.” From her perch at the edge of the stage, she noted hat actors could use some more warming up to get into character.
“Listen to music that reminds you of your character. Find different ways that get you into that mindset of being that character,” she told the cast.
“For Mrs. Webb, it was hard for me to lock into being that character. But if you came backstage, I’d literally be listening to ‘Mama Mia.’” Students laughed knowingly.
Though drama teacher Heartt directs “The Alibis,” the production is mostly student run. Each show’s stage managers and sound, lighting, set and costume designers are all ACHS students. In the years since drama classes started up again in 2022 after Covid restrictions, the theater program has won multiple Arty Awards, granted by a Vacaville-based theater nonprofit organization.
“I have five drama classes now. And we are the only school in the district that offers that. We have art teachers working 100% to accommodate what everyone wants.”
She grew up in Oakland and Napa, joining theater classes in both cities. It was a winding road to teaching drama, but it fit. “I realized I didn’t want to be an actor. I love acting, I’m good at it,” she said. “But it wasn’t enough for me to feel like I was contributing to the world in some way.”
For Heartt, theater is a way of life, and crucial for getting youth comfortable with themselves. “It doesn’t matter what you become in your life – theater classes will help you,” Heartt said.
Before Heartt was hired at ACHS in 2014, the school, founded in 2010, had a revolving door of drama teachers. In 11 years, Heartt has built out the program to be wildly popular with kids, and includes yoga and meditation in every class alongside acting exercises.
In terms of confidence and skill, said Heartt, “there’s such a change in a kid before and after a season. By the end of a season, they can run an entire show.”
