Alessia Zoldi (XI F), Maria Pătcaș (XI B), Maia Popa (XI A)
The 29th of November marked a tremendously important date for both the seniors and the freshmen of “Moise Nicoara” National College. After months of preparations and hard work, they managed to put on a show that left all of us in awe.
“Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” seemed to be a suitable theme for the first freshmen prom after the pandemic, and the organizers and the participants all succeeded in conveying a unique and entertaining show. Besides the remarkably designed stage with wonderful lighting effects and creative costumes that composed the perfect scenery inspired by the movie itself, the audience played an important role in the way the whole event was perceived and organized. If you had taken a second your eyes off of the performance and simply just glaced at the people in the theatre, you would have seen hundreds of excited parents and students that lived the experience along with the dancers and singers on stage.
Everyone was fully captured by the show even if there was not a single available spot to sit on and people were forced to stand to see the performance. Several people we’ve talked to seemed to have encountered this issue of not finding a seat despite having paid for a ticket, and the frustration was strong enough to quickly cast the blame on the organizers. Nevertheless, after further investigation, we discovered that it was the theatre that created this issue, since the upper lodge theatre wasn’t opened to the public as it should have been. Some people were not pleased with how crowded the place was and started to be more preoccupied with where they should sit instead of what was actually going on, which perhaps wasn’t fair to the freshmen and their hard work going overlooked by this small organizational issue.
For a large number of spectators, though, this was not even considered a problem, because just by hearing them perform you would have been satisfied enough to have an enjoyable night. The freshmen smiled genuinely at their friends in the auditorium who even carried flags and posters with their names, just as fans encourage their favourite artists at concerts. Therefore, this experience had a delightful effect on everyone present, making them feel that this event is special in its way of representing our youth’s talents and capabilities.
We asked Daria Stana (12B), who got the title for the most dedicated organizer, some questions about what it took to put on such a show and the process behind the auditions, getting sponsorships, rehearsals and many other things that every organizer had to do. Her answer was: “Creating a show has exceeded its apparent definition of artistic performance, making the transition from a simple game to a process full of financial, time management, and personal challenges. Meeting a budget by obtaining income from sponsorships and managing expenses in the most economical way has brought us experience in terms of finding the most effective solutions and the marketing skills necessary to persuade sponsors.
Another key aspect in preparing for the ball was time. The spectators saw the final result, summarized in 3 hours, but the hours of work invested in rehearsals, in creating the scenery and costumes and in making organizational decisions remain countless. Being students in the 12th grade, we had to juggle between organizing the prom and preparing for the baccalaureate, a fact that led us to take advantage of any spare time we had.
Of course, both aspects mentioned above are also included in the personal plan, but the most impactful factor on our development as individuals was teamwork. In the beginning, the most complicated part seemed to be the collaboration with a younger generation, with the freshmen. But, along the way, the most difficult aspect proved to be the collaboration between the organizers. We were a fairly mixed team, with different views, tastes and opinions (often diametrically opposed), but at the same time with unique skills and knowledge, which, once united by a common goal, led to the formation of a team capable of anything.”
We asked the freshmen as well about their experience and how they feel after being in such a situation, in the spotlight. Most of them said that it was a wonderful experience, full of emotion and based on trust that they built within the few weeks of rehearsal. Lengyel Patricia said that the whole show and the process behind it felt like home for her, and most of them recommend that future generations try out this amazing opportunity for expression and art. “It was a crazy experience that came with its ups and downs, but in the end, it was delicious and I would definitely repeat it 100 times more”- Andra Stef, 9C.
Maria Miuțescu (9F) gave us this statement:
“I think the theme of our prom—Charlie and the Chocolate Factory—was right for us. It's a memorable story loved by all ages, with funny characters and a thought-provoking moral. As the first generation of students attending the prom after the pandemic, I was very happy to see that the theme was so cheerful: our costumes, decor and souls were brightly coloured by Willy Wonka's factory, making the whole event feel like a holiday, after this break period.
Our organizers were the ones who made us really love this ball. I think I speak for all the freshmen when I say that the rehearsals and the whole process of preparing for the show were perhaps even more full of emotions and new experiences than the prom itself. In just a few months, the 12th graders were the ones who managed to unite us, thus forming close friendships. Also, we can all agree that the organization of the ball was done with great care and seriousness, this fact being noted by the decoration which, alone, I managed to tell you a story, through various symbols and forms, the music that made the souls dance to lively Charleston rhythms, or to sweet waltz tunes, and the costumes, which made us feel part of the story, integrating us into every scene.”
Raul Nica (9F) gave us a sneak peek into their lives as they prepared for the ball and what adventures they’ve all been through together:
“To be honest, what I will always remember is the excitement and stress behind the scenes and the fact that I had some wonderful colleagues. Why can I say they are awesome? Well, because we all helped each other to get through the hard times and especially because, together, we managed to make one of the most beautiful balls in Arad.
In rehearsals, it was a very long but very beautiful adventure. One of the moments I will never forget is when we had 3 days left until the prom and our organizers brought us a cake with "BBMN2022", pizza and juices. It was a very emotional moment for all. Another unforgettable moment was when our dear organizer, Dragos, made me and a few other freshmen do 100 Koreans, 50 push-ups and a 5-minute plank.
Having said that, for me, it was one of the most beautiful experiences of my life.”
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