Actors Portray Inspiring True Story

by: Natalie Pinkowski

Leaving Ariana is written and directed by Seniors Safa Doost and Lauren Campos. Leaving Ariana will be performed at the Thespian Festival in Phoenix on November 19 and 20. Doost’s in­spiration for the play was inspired by her mother’s true, life story.

“In the hills of Southwest Asia, the small country of Arianna lay hidden from the rest of the world. Under this isolation, the people of this great nation prospered and were ensured freedom and secu­rity. Sadly, these freedoms could not last, as other nations took them under siege,” said the narroator of Leaving Arianna, junior Aaron Curry.

Doost’s mother, Farzana, was forced to leave Afghanistan and unwillingly leave her fiance to take on the role as mother of her family at the young age of 18. The play shows the charisma and the integrity Farzana obtained to overcome each struggle on her journey to happiness thirty-one years ago.

Doost said, “I was talking to Lauren about my mother’s life story, and Mrs. Swinney happened to overhear, and she came up with the idea of turning her story into a play.”

Directors Doost and Campos are excited about their hard work to pay off along with the leads senior Jackie Hines and senior Jesse Strommen.

Strommen said, “We get to perform at the conference, which is cool because it’s an opportunity for our work to be judged.”

Hines said, “Everyone is excited about the premiere of the play because it is a true story, and the characters have more sentimental value. Which is all the more honor of being cast as the lead because I am portraying a real person. I am grateful that the directors had enough confidence in my acting capabilities. I can’t wait to see how everything turns out.”

Leaving Arianna will also be performing for the public on December 10 and 11, with ticket prices at $5 for children and stu­dents with and I.D. and $10 for adults.