Diane “Milo” Milowicki directed Gateway High School musicals — “Once Upon a Mattress” and “Chicago: Teen Edition” — the past two years but took a step back because of other commitments.
After all, the Monroeville Rotarian is the immediate past Rotary president and EarlyAct Club chairperson for University Park Elementary School and Divine Mercy Academy.
Milowicki has a lengthy history of directing community theater in California, where she spent much of her adult life. She was born in Pennsylvania and returned to the area six years ago.
Musical producer Mary Chase noticed there was a supplemental in place for a drama club at the middle school — meaning it already was approved — for the 2024-25 school year. Yet no one had stepped up to take charge.
There’s where Milowicki stepped in.
“I met with the principal (Michael Jack), and he was on board. He was very enthusiastic about adding drama club to the arts department,” Milowicki said.
Grade by grade, students were invited down one day to visit with Milowicki. By the end, 80 kids had shown an interest in joining.
On Nov. 12, Milowicki and Chase held a “sample meeting” so students could learn what the club was all about.
More than 50 students in grades 5-8 attended, along with six “seasoned veterans” of the high school’s musicals.
“The high schoolers talked to the kids about why they participate in theater, their favorite roles, fun experiences onstage and lots of other topics,” Milowicki said.
Drama club officially began in December, where Milowicki began teaching theater through games, exercises, character development, stage language, presence and scene work.
“I really emphasize the word ‘storytelling.’ I tell the students they already possess the three tools they need to be a storyteller — a voice, body and their imagination,” she said.
Storytelling can be done using the set, props, costumes and dance.
On Jan. 6, club members gathered to review “The Music Man: Kids,” a condensed version of the original musical with most of the major components.
Milowicki said she and Chase selected the musical because it is well known and has 17 named characters, which would give many of the students a chance to perform on stage.
However, as the saying goes, in theater there’s no small parts. Not all students want to act, but there are many other jobs that contribute to a good performance, such as lighting, marketing, ushers, costumes, set design and art.
“Theater is every bit of a team project as sports,” Milowicki said. “Every single person contributes.”
Many of the fifth graders — some of whom already possess artistic talents — said they were excited to be part of the new club.
“I really like artistic things,” said Zulkhumor Gaffarova, who plays the flute and is in choir.
Riley Lehosky plays the bass guitar but wanted to spread her wings a bit. “This is something that I always wanted to do,” she said. “I want to be an actress.”
Like Zulkhumor and Riley, Lucy Lysaght is musically inclined and plays the piano, violin and flute.
“I want to be on stage or in a performance,” she said.
“It sounded interesting,” noted Olivia Fazio, who has been dancing for eight years and started playing the oboe last year.
Addison Gressem’s older sister, Gabrielle, acts in the high school musicals and was one of the “seasoned” students who met with the middle schoolers in November.
“I like to go over lines with my sister,” said Addison, who performs with East End Kids and enjoys dancing and singing. “I really want to be in the plays.”
Sixth grader Dean Grantz is no stranger to acting. He has performed in “Seussical” and “Elephant & Piggie’s We Are in a Play!” at the Greensburg Garden and Civic Center and “Finding Nemo” at the Elizabeth Township Community Center.
The drama club currently meets every other Tuesday; the other Tuesdays are reserved for rehearsals of “The Music Man: Kids.” Official auditions will begin in February.
Chase told students her job is to secure funds to put on a great play; all students who want to perform are able to do so.
“We want you to be the best of the best and look your best,” Chase said. “My goal is that, if you like performing, you keep doing this year after year — in high school and maybe even into college.”
Added Milowicki: “Drama club is a safe space for kids to express themselves and a great place to make friends.”
The Gateway Middle School Drama Club will stage two back-to-back performances of “The Music Man: Kids” on May 6 at the Robert A. Read Performing Arts Center at Gateway High School. Times have yet to be announced. Visit gatewayk12.org/gms/index for updates.
