The nerd. The Geek. The weird one. That’s who I am. Growing up, all I wanted to do was play video games and read. When I was around 10 years old, my aunt introduced me to acting. Sure I thought it was cool, and therefore did more plays and musicals in my childhood, but I never fully planted my feet in this strange world. That is, until I started high school.

Freshman year was rough. Like really rough. I was failing classes because I wouldn't do my homework. Due to that, I really didn't do anything freshman year except join the eSports club, which I am still a part of. The Start of Sophomore year went better than the previous year. And with that followed an audition for the Arrowhead Drama Department’s Les Miserables. And who was at the helm of directing the show? None other than Mrs. Markano! 

Mrs. Markano is a Language Arts teacher at Arrowhead High School, subjects including English, Speech, and Acting. She also is the director of Arrowhead’s Drama Department, and also a Co-director of Arrowhead’s Broadway Company, which is a very highly skilled audition musical theater troupe. She can light up a room and a rehearsal with her smile and grand presence.

Being a part of the drama department has really changed my outlook on what I want to do after high school. Mrs. Markano has sparked a greater love of theater for me than ever before. She seems to be able to do that with every student who comes into the theater feeling skeptical or uneasy about acting on stage. She welcomes every student with open arms into the theater.

Since being in the last 3 Drama Department shows at Arrowhead, I have noticed that when either we go into tech week or we are closing a show, Mrs. Markano is always beaming with the biggest smile. Take our previous show Puffs for example. With so many sound cues in the show, it was really difficult to place every sound cue in the right spot, with timing and on stage. I had helped her a lot with these, as well as some other cast members. When we finished, all of us cried tears of joy and we all celebrated. Mrs. Markano was smiling ear to ear! “Thank you. All of you”. Even with the struggles of live theater, Mrs. Markano stays positive and smiles all the way though.

Not only that, but during a show, she really takes time to bond with her cast. She wants to get to know you as a person and as an actor. At the end of each show on closing night, each cast member receives a handwritten card from Mrs. Markano, filled with kind words and memories. She loves each and every one of her actors and actresses she brings on stage.

Mrs. Markano is the perfect teacher and director anyone could ask for. She is caring, loving, understanding, funny, and the list goes on and on.

Thank you for everything Mrs. Markano!