History of the Minisink Valley Drama Club

Prior to 1991, a drama club at Minisink Valley High School never existed, and therefore, an annual production was never consistently produced.  In the fall of 1991, Ms. Beth Carter-Pivovar began her tenure as an English teacher at Minisink, and in the spring of 1992, she began the Minisink Valley Drama Club with what she and the other club members hoped would be the club’s inaugural production of Bye Bye Birdie.  Unfortunately, in that year, measles broke out around the school, and the production had to be cancelled.  However, that fall, Ms. Carter-Pivovar directed Arsenic and Old Lace, the drama club’s first official production.  Since then, she directed 23 other plays and musicals, and established Troupe # 5169 of the International Thespian Society. 

After Ms. Carter’s departure, Mr. Gary Passamonte, a third-grade teacher at the Intermediate School, filled the position of director, and that fall directed the incredibly well-received Father of the Bride.  He remains the director of the fall plays and murder mystery dinners and of the spring musicals, assisted by Mrs. Stacy Morace as the Drama Club and Thespians advisor.  Mrs. Aurea Camacho, and Ms. Jenna Houlihan provide support to the program as well.  Since Mr. P’s arrival, the Drama Club has grown and offers a wide variety of opportunities to students of theatre.

Today, the Minisink Valley Drama Club remains an extremely popular club in the school and surrounding community.

The Audition Process

Auditions for the fall play usually consist of multiple readings of scenes from the presented play, either in a closed atmosphere or one open to an audience of those who are auditioning.  For the spring musical, one is required to sing any song from a Broadway musical, usually in an atmosphere open to only the director, musical director, and assistant directors.  If one is called back, he/she must then sing a few bars of a song from the presented musical.  Callback auditions also include readings of scenes from the musical.