Upperclassmen students in the Drama department have worked with multiple directors throughout their years in the class.
The Drama department has had three directors in the last four years. Jamie Roberts was the department’s director from 2020 to 2023. Starting in the middle of the 2023 school year, Nikki Hinson-O’Connor became the director from 2023 to 2024. She left Walnut High School at the end of 2024 and Danny Campbell is currently serving as the director for the 2024-2025 school year. He plans to expand the department by incorporating more theater competitions and festivals.
“Students are enthusiastic,” Campbell said. “It is a lot easier for me to be like, here, work on this and they work on it. They actually want to be in rehearsal and learn, so their enthusiasm and willingness to be here makes all of the new changes more palatable. I think they’re hungry to be doing theater, so I’m giving them opportunities to try new things and I think they’re jumping on that.”
When discussing his future plans for the department’s students, Campbell expresses that he wants to do more challenging work, such as harder choreography and shows that require tougher vocals, to stretch the actors and showcase the students’ talent. Campbell wants to make his students feel comfortable and strives to provide an environment for them to be their best.
“[I want to be] welcoming and inviting, having students come to my room to practice new things, [have] field trips and more opportunities,” Campbell said. “[I want to] make it a little more personable. What do you want to do? What do you like? Deciding what to do on our stage based on the student interests.”
Students are adjusting to Campbell’s new teaching styles and are excited to work with him. They are grateful for the exposure and are open to the new changes. Seniors Savannah Castaneda and Zaila Johnson have been in the Drama department for four years and have experienced the changes that have come along with new directors.
“I’m really happy with who the director is this year because he is very passionate about what he does and how he is trying to get to know his students,” Castaneda said. “He’ll give us new things that Advanced Drama should be learning and gives us past things that we’ve learned and puts it all together,” Johnson said. “It is hands-on and allows us to [expand on] making our own things as well.”
Although there are many positive aspects to the director changes, students have to adjust each time, impacting their bonds with previous teachers and having to start fresh.
“For us having three different directors, it’s been hard getting to know each one and having to restart,” Castaneda said. “I had a strong connection with Roberts, and I got very close because we worked together a lot and it was sad that she left, but I was also happy for her.”
