Although the Palisades High School drama teacher Nancy Fracchiolla lost her long-time Palisades home on the Alphabet Streets where she raised two children during the Palisades Fire, it was only the start of the losses.
Palisades High School closed when part of the campus burned and many of her students’ homes burned.
Some students not only lost all of their possessions, but all lost a physical place to go to school, they lost their community. The drama program, which annually hosts high-caliber musicals with its exceptionally talented students, was put on hold.
In addition to the musicals, one of the highlights of the school’s drama program was a quirky sketch show, Friday Night Live, which Fracchiolla started 10 years ago. The shows, which were one night only, sold out early, and became one of the most desirable tickets on campus.
Fracchiolla announced today “It is with great pride that students will present their first post-fire FNL this Friday night.”
Junior Ella White said, ““Laughter is the best medicine and I’m so grateful to have an escape like FNL where we can all heal together.”
The cast and crew of 34 have been rehearsing on Zoom, at University High School and at a student’s mom’s chiropractic office.
“There’s so much isolation and uncertainty right now that FNL gives me a familiar space to be with my community, express myself, laugh and let go,” said junior Addie Costain.
Fracchiolla was asked if any of the sketch’s center around the fire. “Yes,” she said. “We discussed the concept of ‘too soon’ and they all felt it was time to find some humor in all this.
“It’s not about the victims or devastation,” Fracchiolla said. “It’s a delicate balance.”
Friday Night Live will take place at Stivelman Auditorium at University High 11800 Texas Avenue, Friday March 14. Tickets can be purchased at gofan.go
“There are 400 seats compared to the 149 at Palisades High School’s Gilbert Hall,” Fracchiolla said. “So, we’re doing one giant 8 p.m. show.”