FITCHBURG — Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School senior Cameron Gracia is spearheading a student-led show premiering next month that channels live sketch comedy a la “Saturday Night Live” style.
The motivated 17-year-old Monty Tech student built “Friday Night Live” from the ground up and is excited to finally share it with an audience.
“This project has involved coordinating many students, writing and producing sketches, managing technical production, and directing the show to bring a professional-level performance to our school community,” Gracia said. “Through this experience, I have developed strong skills in leadership, creativity, and teamwork while giving students a platform to showcase their talents.”
The show featuring over 40 students will be held on Jan. 9 at 7 p.m. in the school’s performing arts center, and budget-friendly tickets — $3 for students, $5 for adults, and $15 for VIP — can be purchased at the door or ahead of time by visiting google.com/montytech.net/fnl/home.
There will even be a musical guest, Leominster-based “Neurotic Gumbo,” a 10-piece classic rock band boasting a four-piece horn section. According to info on the show page, the dynamic ensemble of seasoned and talented local musicians — Laurie Babineau, Buzz Berger, Jay DiGeronimo, Donnie Kirby, Mark Marquis, and Dianne Redstone — were brought together by their shared passion for heartfelt, groove-rich music.
The cast and crew of “Friday Night Live” have been busy prepping and doing read throughs for the project that has been two years in the making.
“Rehearsals have been going really well,” said Gracia, who is serving as the host, executive producer, and one of the writers. “Everyone has been putting in a lot of effort, and the energy has been great.”
The Lunenburg resident is passionate about media, performance, and leadership and his impressive resume reflects that. Gracia is enrolled in the Graphic Communications program at Monty Tech, does screen printing, and is a media and audiovisual specialist. He’s on the prom committee, a leadership team member, on the rugby team, and lists DJ and public address announcer among his skills.
In addition, Gracia is the vice president of the Monty Tech SkillsUSA chapter and has been the school mascot for the last four years.
“I was the first student to develop Bam the Bulldog into the character he is today and I plan to pass on this role to future students,” he said, adding that “this journey recently led to my nomination for the Mascot Hall of Fame.”
Gracia represents a unique and inspiring story about school spirit, tradition, and student leadership, qualities that have led him to where he is today producing “Friday Night Live,” which he said highlights “student initiative, creativity, and the impact of arts and media programs in schools.”
“I’m really excited for people to see the amount of work, excitement, and dedication my actors have put into this project,” he said. “This is the first time something like this has been done here — and possibly the last, since it isn’t tied to any drama club or official organization — so it feels extra special.”
When asked what audience members can expect from the show, Gracia said “a lot of student creativity, originality, and fun.”
“I’ve loved giving people a chance to express themselves and seeing this dream I’ve had for years finally come to life,” he said, adding that “Friday Night Live” is “designed to be enjoyable for all ages.
“It will be a fun night out,” he added.
It comes as no surprise that Gracia has big plans after graduation, including attending college with a focus on entrepreneurship.
“My goal is to build my own business and eventually follow in the footsteps of people like Mark Cuban or Shaquille O’Neal,” he said.
But for now, Gracia is focused on the project at hand and said he is “incredibly proud and grateful to finally bring this show to life.” He also shared that in the words of Monty Tech alumnus Bill Gunsalus, who was the mascot when he was a student there, “This kid kept saying he wanted to put on a show similar to ‘Saturday Night Live,’ and I told him he was crazy and how much work that would be. So, I gave him some of the things that would have to be done — and he did it.”
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