11-Year-Old brings ambitious double feature to the Grange
Published 1:30 am Wednesday, March 25, 2026
Submitted by Nicole Santora
Editor’s note: Nicole Santora is a parent of the performers and a supporting adult behind the production.
When fifth grader Ang Santora decided to put on a show, she did not stop at choosing a script and learning lines. She secured performance rights, adapted material written for a much larger cast, mapped out quick changes, and spent months doing the kind of behind-the-scenes work usually handled by a director.
For Ang, the production is the latest step in a theater journey shaped in large part by the Community Theatre’s education program, which has been both a training ground and an invaluable resource in developing her love of theatre. She has appeared in several youth productions there, including Xanadu Jr., Guys and Dolls Jr., and Gladis Baker, Gladiator, where she played the lead villain.
After that show, Ang was eager for more. She began searching for material she could produce herself and found not one but two shows through Beat by Beat Press, a company that publishes musicals and plays for large youth casts. One script immediately stood out: Press Start, a video game-themed musical that combined two of her favorite things.
“That’s a hard choice,” Ang said when asked whether she prefers theater or video games. “I sort of like both because this play is like using those two things.”
Ang reached out to Beat by Beat Press herself to request a license, and the company waived the licensing fee for this performance. Once given the green light, she began reshaping the material into a two-person production.
Asked about one of the biggest challenges, Ang said, “It’s probably been modifying the scripts to fit a two-person show.”
She has also written and produced original work before, including Lindy the Big Hamster, a backyard play staged with friends. This production, however, is her biggest undertaking yet!
The second show, Bounce, stars her younger brother, Duke Santora. A second grader with boundless energy, Duke is making his first public stage appearance. Ang leaned into her instincts as a director and cast him as the lead character, who struggles with staying seated in class, hence the title—Bounce.
Asked how he feels about performing, Duke’s answer was simple: “I feel excited.”
Ang said directing has taught her that “being the director takes lots of patience. A lot of planning.”
Ang’s parents have been proud to support her ambitions backstage and behind the scenes. On Friday, March 27 at The Grange, the community is invited to see this family-friendly double feature. Doors open at 7 p.m., the show begins at 7:30 p.m., admission is free, and everyone is welcome.
