The Boys & Girls Club of North Lake Tahoe’s award-winning children’s theatre presents ‘Once Upon A One More Time’ at North Tahoe High School
TAHOE CITY, Calif. – The Boys & Girls Club of North Lake Tahoe’s Great Futures Productions is putting on a show this weekend demonstrating the hard work and commitment of 30 youth members from 10 schools as they perform the jukebox musical “Once Upon A One More Time”. The production, powered by hit songs from Britney Spears, will take place at North Tahoe High School’s auditorium from March 20 to March 22.
Leading the charge to set a hard-working example is Sara Turner-Carbajal, Director of Great Futures Productions, who not only directs, but also musically directs, choreographs, and costume designs every single show.
Turner-Carbajal has been the director of Great Futures since 2013 and built the program from the ground up.
“We are one of the only Boys & Girls Clubs in the country with a fully functioning children’s theatre company,” said Turner-Carbajal. “We produce five to six musicals a year, depending on the year.”
Kids are pulled from all over the area including Tahoe City, Truckee, Incline Village, and Reno.
17-year-old Seth Michael has known Turner-Carbajal since he started the program in second grade.
“Sara is the program,” Michael said. “The program doesn’t exist without her, and it’s really a space where we’re all a big ol’ family. Sara is what keeps us together. The part I love most about her is she knows what you can accomplish. She pushes you to be the best version of yourself, on stage and off stage, as a person.”
A senior at North Tahoe High School, Michael is the lighting designer and technical director. He first started out acting, but realized it wasn’t for him and migrated to a role off-stage where he found his calling. His sights are set on a career in the industry after graduation.
“[This job] is really fun and interesting because it’s a lot of problem-solving and using all these intricate pieces, combining them together to make a giant production. We have a lot of lights in this show and making them all work together flawlessly is a lot of fun to put your problem-solving mind to,” said Michael. “As well as all the other aspects of the production – the set changes, the costumes, all of it is just so much fun to make work and get a finished product that we get to share with the community.”
The musical explores themes of female empowerment and the dissection of fairytales rooted in patriarchy while weaving in songs from Britney Spears that mirror the conflicts happening within the plot. It’s a vibrant and mesmerizing production, blending humor and depth.
Playing a lead role is Calixta Cordoba Sosa, a junior at North Tahoe High who has grown up in the world of musical theatre and has taken on many roles, among them, Mrs. Potts in “Beauty and the Beast”, Kim Macafee in “Bye Bye, Birdie” and Gertrude McFuzz in “Seussical”. For this show, she will be playing Cinderella.
“I love getting to play a girly character, but at the same time, there’s also another side to Cinderella, especially in the plot of this musical where she defies expectations and changes her own story to serve her and what she wants for her life too,” said Cordoba Sosa.
Like Michael, Cordoba Sosa has been with Great Futures Productions since elementary school. Immersed in dancing and singing since she was young, it’s clear that Cordoba Sosa brings her heart and soul into the role. Her exceptional acting skills will blow you away.
Another lead in the show is Abby Wagner, a junior at North Tahoe High School.
“I started doing musicals here when I was in fourth grade,” said Wagner. When asked what role she’ll be playing for this production, Wagner’s excitement was palpable as she said, “I play Snow White!”
Wagner’s compelling acting and pitch-perfect singing has landed her in various roles over the last seven years. This role in particular is among her favorites.
“What I take away from [the musical] is that we’re told not to change how we tell our stories because young people read them. We’re teaching them what they’re supposed to think and what they’re supposed to like, and the whole point is ‘well if that’s what we’re doing, why can’t we change that?'” Wagner said. “This is pro-everyone. Make your choices and do what you like if it will make you happy. And I think that’s really special.”
Opening night is on Friday March 20 at 7 p.m. and will pick up again on both Saturday, March 21 and Sunday, March 22 at 7 p.m. The show is roughly two hours long, and aside from some mild language, makes for a great family-friendly experience. Tickets are $25 for adults (age 19 and up) and $10 for children.
“The cast and crew have worked really hard,” said Turner-Carbajal. “It’s a really giant show which took a lot of effort on their part. They have poured every ounce of themselves into this project and are having fun, so hopefully the audience can see how much fun they’re having when they watch it.”
Tickets can be purchased at https://bgcnlt.networkforgood.com/events/96220-once-upon-a-one-more-time.
To learn more about Great Futures Productions or The Boys & Girls Club of North Lake Tahoe, visit https://www.bgcnlt.org/great-futures-productions.
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Victoria Mastrocola/Sierra Sun
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Victoria Mastrocola/Sierra Sun
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Victoria Mastrocola/Sierra Sun
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Victoria Mastrocola/Sierra Sun
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Victoria Mastrocola/Sierra Sun
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Victoria Mastrocola/Sierra Sun
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Victoria Mastrocola/Sierra Sun
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Great Futures Productions is an award-winning children’s theatre
Victoria Mastrocola/Sierra Sun
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Victoria Mastrocola/Sierra Sun
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Victoria Mastrocola/Sierra Sun
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Victoria Mastrocola/Sierra Sun
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Victoria Mastrocola/Sierra Sun
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