Arcadia High School (AHS) theatre students are celebrating another year of excellence after competing at the Drama Teachers Association of Southern California (DTASC) Fall Festival, one of the largest theatre competitions in the region. Advanced Theatre represented AHS against several dozen other schools in a full-day of acting, technical, and design competitions at Calabasas High School (CHS) on Oct. 25. Students performed a wide variety of scenes, including comedies, musicals, and dramas.

“DTASC allows students to take an entire script and reduce it to a short scene, thereby enhancing their acting and storytelling,” said Theatre Director Steven Volpe after a previous sweepstakes victory.

For Arcadia Stage, DTASC has long been a source of pride and consistent success. The program has earned a remarkable streak of first-place Sweepstakes victories in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023, and now 2025, solidifying its reputation as one of the strongest high school theatre programs in Southern California.

This year’s team achieved outstanding results across multiple categories. The Student Original section won 1st Place, showcasing the creativity and storytelling talent of Arcadia’s student playwrights and performers. In the Stagecraft division, AHS earned numerous accolades:

• 1st Place in Sweepstakes, Student Written, Marketing and Publicity, Set Design, Costumes (Altered), Sound (Altered), and Sound Design
• 2nd Place in Musical, Lighting Design and Sewn Costume
• 3rd Place in Open Musical and Costumes for Stagecraft
• 4th Place in Audition Monologue and Literary Adaptation
• Honorable Mentions in Large Group Comedy and Large Group Drama
• Semifinals in Audition Monologue and Based on a True Story

“This year’s DTASC was amazing,” said sophomore theatre student Jasmine Che, reflecting on the competition. “The experience cannot be explained; it’s a mix of excitement and awe. The result did not completely surprise me because all of the Advanced Theatre performers are so awesome!”

Intermediate Theatre students also gained valuable experience by performing in a range of categories, continuing The Arcadia Stage Company’s tradition of professional and engaging productions across all grade levels.

With its continued success and dedication, Arcadia Stage enters the next season carrying forward a legacy of excellence, creativity, and passion for performance that continues to inspire the Arcadia community.