Bonanza High honors former teacher with theater name

Carol Lommen is happy she lived to see her name attached to the theater at Bonanza High School.

She was the school's drama teacher for its first 25 years, as she retired in 2001. On the second night of her last show's run, Lommen was locking up the theater when she suffered a heart attack. The idea to make Lommen the theater's namesake was mentioned a week prior at a reunion she hosted for former students. Lommen was recovering when former Principal Sue DeFrancesco made the final decision.

"I thought I didn't have to die to be here," said Lommen a resident of south Summerlin. "I have difficulty dealing with infinity, because it's so timeless, and thinking about that going on with the rest of the school is thought-stimulating."

Last month, a new theater was opened at the school. Lommen was surprised to hear her name transferred to the new building. The theater where she taught is now called the Carol Lommen Theater Annex. The school held a recognition ceremony for Lommen on Oct. 19.

"Where I had taught was the theater in the school, (so) I thought that would be the Carol Lommen Theater," she said. "I was very happy, overwhelmed and most appreciative and humbled. It wraps up in a nice, wonderful, memory-filled bundle."

"Really to honor her, through time, we thought we would transfer it there," said DeFrancesco, who left Bonanza, 6665 Del Rey Ave., in February to become the northwest region's assistant superintendent. "Carol is an amazing, energized person. She never slows for anything, and she was totally dedicated to her students and helping them to grow. She's just one of those special people you work with. But it's more than a working relationship, it's one of respect and one of support she gave to others and others gave to her.

"That's what you need to make a great school."

The night of the ceremony, Lommen toured the new $4.1 million, 13,378-square-foot facility, which houses 450 seats and new technology. When high schools such as Durango were being designed, architects asked current drama teachers what they would like to see in new school theaters. Lommen was happy to see some of her suggestions were taken to heart.

"I had fun walking around last night in the catwalk, in the gridiron," Lommen said of the walkways above the stage where technicians work during a show. "The new light board, the new sound board and the new spotlights, and I recognized how theater is changing."

Lommen left education to pursue a career change. She found conducting seminars for True Colors, an organization that aims to teach people how to work and understand each other, was an experience worth the switch. The idea behind the organization clicked with her style of teaching, which led her in a different direction, she said.

"This is much more than drama. This is life," said Lommen. "Before I had been applying it to students and improv. They appreciated the teamwork that came out of it. Rather than saying differences hinder, you find the qualities you can use and benefit with and there's all kinds of growth."

Lommen didn't leave behind her roots in the theater. She currently is an adjudicator and leadership coach with the Educational Theatre Association, the umbrella organization for the International Thespian Society. She attends the International Thespian Conference in Lincoln, Neb., every summer and helps with the Bonanza troupe when she can.

"I know when they're painting a set, they need these plastic pans. So, last night, I brought in more little plastic paint pans," she said. "And an old phone, because I know they're always looking for telephones for props."

"It's nice to recognize individuals that give so much to one particular setting," DeFrancesco said. "In Las Vegas, it's rare for teachers to remain in that building for that length of time. Through the years, we were so lucky to have great people."

Although she no longer teaches high school drama, Lommen still lives by the motto of the International Thespian Society, "Act well your part, there all the honor lies." She said, "I feel like I've acted my part."


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