Each year, the California Educational Theater Association scores and chooses fall productions at high schools across four regions in Southern California(Los Angeles, Orange County, the Inland Empire, and San Diego County) to participate in the CETA High School Theater Festival. This year, the CdM drama department makes history by being invited to not only attend the festival but also perform in it, CdM has never placed in CETA before. The fall play this year, Macbeth, won second place in the category “Best Overall Show” and the cast will have the opportunity to perform 10 minutes of their play in a festival of scenes on stage, in front of hundreds of high school students across California. The festival takes place over Martin Luther King Jr Weekend 2022 and will be at Los Osos High School in Rancho Cucamonga.

This festival offers a chance for students to not only perform their production again but participate in an “adjudicated scene competition”, receive scholarships, and participate in workshops led by industry professionals. Both students and teachers are encouraged to participate in as much as possible, with the hope of artistic growth and community building. CETA’s mission is to provide students with an outlet and resources to grow as actors and experience the highest standards of theater arts education.

Mikayla Shaffer, a cast member from Macbeth shares, “We had almost perfect scores and it feels really amazing to know all our hard work is recognized. CETA is such a great experience. Not only do you get to see the best of high school theater, but there are also workshops where you can develop numerous different skills, separate competitions for technical theater, and amazing opportunities to grow closer as a community since it’s an overnight trip. Getting to perform and bring back even just a part of Macbeth makes this year that much more special.” The cast member who played Macbeth, Jeremy Tewari, talks about his frustration over not getting first saying, “Would you believe that we got a 96/100 and sound design was the only part we lost.” He is sad about not getting to perform the entire show due to sound choices, but is happy to place anyways.