The School Master Breaks the Curse

Melissa Hernandez, Staff Writer
May 16, 2016

Drama production had the final showing of, Fools, their last play of the year, on Thursday, May 5, at 5 PM in the DHS theater. It was a comedic show full of slapstick humor composed of two acts, which started with an introduction of the setting, a small town called Kulyenchikov, in Ukraine, given by a puppet in a high tower.

All of the characters had Ukrainian accents, only adding to the comedy of the show. Andre Nicola, 11, played the character Something Something Snetsky, a sheepherder who was looking for his sheep at the beginning of act one.

“The accent was probably my biggest challenge because as soon as I would stop thinking about it my accent would like drift off from Russian to English or Irish,” Nicola said, “but it was a lot of fun getting to do a completely different voice.”

In the town of Kulyenchikov there was a curse that made all of its inhabitants unintelligent, making them mistake a fish for a pebble or a rock. There were two ways to break the curse. One was that Sophia Zubritsky needed to marry the last descendant of the Youskevitch family, Count Gregor, or she needed learn everything she could possibly learn from the schoolmaster Leon Steponovich Tolchinski. Count Gregor asked her to marry him to end the curse, not for love, and that was why he was very disliked by the townspeople.

Count Gregor, played by Jose Placencia, 11, was the antagonist of the story who prevented Leon from marrying Sophia in order to have the glory of breaking the curse.

“He definitely was the antagonist. He did anything he could to get what he wanted, and he cheated and lied to everyone,” Plascencia said. “It was fun to play the character everyone hated. He was an interesting character.”

One of the most memorable moments was when the character Leon Steponovich Tolchinski, played by Eliseo Velasquez, 12, fell off of a 7 foot ladder after speaking with Sophia at her tower window.

“Without a doubt, I’d have to say my favorite part is falling off the ladder. I love the amount of shock and entertainment the audience experiences,” Velasquez said. “I won’t lie falling 7 feet can leave a mark, but it’s worth it to make people laugh and have a good time.”

Velasquez’s character Leon had a huge impact on the character Sophia, played by Andrea Hernandez, 12. Sophia had a curiosity to learn new things and the schoolmaster helped with that.

“She was constantly being put up by Leon. He was constantly telling her, along with the others in the town,” Hernandez said, “that they would one day be smart again. He always made her hopeful and unconsciously aware of her situation.”

Towards the end of act two the Magistrate, played by Daniel Martinez, 11, officiates a wedding between Leon and Sophia. This ends the curse making everyone smart once again because Leon is a long lost descendant of the Youskevitch family or so the townspeople were lead to believe.

“I was very happy with the outcome of the play. I had a lot of fun being a part of the production,” Martinez said. “I had never actually been in Drama, so I was happy to participate.”

Fools was a play full of humor and crazy antics between the characters. At one point there was even a cow lying tired in a wagon due to being milked upside down, right from the spigot. The play also incorporated a love story in the midst of the curse filled plotline. This production could not be possible without the stage crew, the stage manager, costume coordinator, and Mr. Hansen’s efforts. It showcased the talent of the actors, and the fact that drama production does not only do sweet love stories, but also humor filled plays.

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About the Contributors

Melissa Hernandez, Staff Writer

Writing has played an important part in Melissa Hernandez’s life, as she has been writing in a quiet place, since the age of five, for her enjoyment and the entertainment of her father.

“I remember as a small child I would write stories to my dad,” Hernandez said. “Once he read them, he would compliment me on my storyline; he would really support me.”

Hernandez enjoys taking real life experiences and turning them into fictional stories.

This allows her to vent without disclosing the identities of the people around her.

Hernandez’s friend Samantha Melgoza enjoys showing her creative side through writing. Melgoza has been writing for four years and plans to pursue a career as a writer because she believes its way to stay in touch with her childhood while being seen as a professional.

“I like to write because it’s a way to show whatever imagination I have,” Melgoza said.

Michelle Vilarino, another friend of Hernandez, has been writing for five years as a hobby. She does not plan on perusing a career in writing but does plan to keep it as a hobby or a possible side job.

“It’s kind of a way to escape,” Michelle Vilarino said, “you can insert yourself in a story that would never happen.”

Hernandez only writes as a past time and does not plan to become a full time fiction writer in the future. She does however want to pursue a career in journalism.

Karla Ramirez, Photo Editor

Because she thrives off of helping others, Karla Ramirez, 12, plans to explore her love for medicine by pursuing a career as a nurse anesthetist. “Nursing is my passion,” Ramirez said. “I want to put my energy into saving and helping people.”

Cindy Macias, Photographer/Co-Photo Editor

For senior Cindy Macias, The Downey Legend is not just a newspaper; it is a place to show her photographs to the world. This photographer likes to take candid shots because she is able to capture the beauty of the moment and frame it in time. Macias is not only in newspaper, she is also juggling Yearbook along with her regular classes. She hopes to become proactive, less of a procrastinator, get straight As, be more organized, and improve her academic vocabulary throughout the year. She plans to study liberal arts at either UC Irvine or UCLA, but does not plan on dorming on campus because of the filth.

Over the summer, Macias gained work experience while interning for Prestige Portraits, a company that specifically takes professional high school senior portraits. Her work involved secretary-like duties, such as calling for reminders and filing papers. When she is not taking photos, she is at the mall shopping for the latest styles at Pac Sun, one of her favorite stores. Macias walks around her neighborhood to ponder over her life. Her friends admire her sense of forwardness, personality, listening skills, and great advice. Macias makes her friends a priority. “The more you don’t see the person, the connection really isn’t there”, she stated. She started photography in the seventh grade, at Davis Middle School, and she has been taking pictures ever since, because photography challenges her to become better. Her personality, work ethic, and perseverance are all aspects that allow Macias to be an extraordinary photographer.