The Commack High School theater department has a rich history that continues to shine to this day.

The theater department today reflects the passion of former staff members, John Long and Ted Kastrinos, who are both retired, and are former directors who left a lasting impact on the program.

“These were men that really knew what they were doing and they ran a tight ship and it was a really fun, creative environment and I was like a little girl, I was 22, vocal directing…,” said musical director and chorus teacher Wendy Frankonis.

Following the retirement of Long and Kastrinos, Karen Malone took over as director. She continued the legacy of Long and Kastrinos, while further enriching the program.

“She was so organized and she had a system, and a binder, and no detail was left undone,” said Frankonis.

Faculty members in the theater department, past and present, have left a special impact on students, including assistant principal Eric Biagi, who is also an alumni of the class of 2003.

“…I got to work with some really talented people, [a] bunch of which who have retired, but people like Mrs. Frankonis and Mrs. Desmond who are still here that really just allowed me to explore my passion in another avenue in high school,” said Biagi.

Getting to work alongside different educators in the building has given students the opportunity to learn from different techniques.

“I know that when I came into the school, Mrs. Malone was running the shows and she retired recently, so now we have Mrs. Frankonis who is working just as hard. And with that new leadership comes a whole new eye to all the productions, so the way that things are run is totally different now…,” said senior Sofie B.

Learning from educators outside of the district gives students additional insight that adds to their experiences in the theater program. Guest choreographer Vinny Donnadio has worked with students for the past three years and is now a co-director, along with Frankonis.

“Gleefully, Vinny’s been around for three years so now [the students] all know him. […] But I think it’s nice for them to get a non-Commack perspective and especially because I’ve been here my whole career. I only know this place, where as he knows lots of places, so he has a perspective that I can’t offer and I think too, our partnership is great,” said Frankonis.

Beyond faculty changes, the department has adapted to what students today react positively to and to what students enjoy being a part of.

“I think that the students have a different connection to theater today than they might have twenty years ago when I was here in what they find enjoyable to perform. […] Show selection, things like that have changed, but I think the core values and excitement and all that that was there twenty years ago is still [present]…,” said Biagi.

Creating a production requires the participation of other students that the audience doesn’t see on the stage. Each show requires a crew to manage lighting, props, and other elements that keep the show running. For the musical, a pit orchestra made up of students is used to provide live music.

“There’s a lot of jobs, […] I wish more people understood how many folks there are that are not on the stage, that are doing just as much work as the folks that are on the stage,” said Frankonis.

A staple of the theater department is the annual student run musical. The board of the International Theater Society (ITS), led by Patricia Barabino, puts on a production of their choice, which gives students on and off the board a unique experience, which includes having to manage all challenges that would arise in any show.

“Because everyone’s so talented in their fields, they’re able to rise to the occasion and get it done in the amount of time that we needed to do it,” said Barabino.

The student run show presents additional challenges to ITS board members, who have to take on production and management roles that they are not used to.

“I understand the difficulty of [running a production] to a greater level now, especially with the music,” said Sofie.

Through all of the challenges that come with putting on a production, the hard working students who make everything possible are able to put on shows that leave every audience impressed.

“I do believe that the people that are coming up and the people who are [involved] currently will bring definitely a very kind light to the department and I’m excited to see where it goes when I leave,” said Sofie.◼️