Five years ago, Monica CdeBaca had no idea what career path to pursue, let alone knowing that attending EC would change her life.

“Before coming to El Camino, I was coasting through life because although I had started going to college, I didn’t know what I wanted to do,” CdeBaca said. “Once I got involved with the theater department here, I found that piece that I was looking for, so I was able to find direction and make goals for myself and got on with my life.”

After moving from Northern California in 2000, CdeBaca saw that the theater department had been looking for volunteers for its summer musical. On a whim, CdeBaca joined and has been submersed with it ever since.

“I was looking to be involved with something,” CdeBaca said. “So I thought, ‘Why not?'”

It was that “why not” that started her off on the path of the technical crew of costumes and make-up. Eventually, her dedication pulled her up to directing and stage managing.

“When I first decided to get involved with stage managing, it was really exciting and a little scary at the same time because that’s when I knew that I was really serious about finding my niche in the theater world,” CdeBaca said.

She’s in-charge of what goes on in the stage before, during and after the play.

“My favorite part about stage-managing is that when a show actually opens, it’s the stage manager’s job to execute all of the technical aspects of the show,” CdeBaca said. “So any lighting, sound, shift of scenery on the stage and things like that are directed by the stage manager.”

She also said that although stage managing and directing are interrelated, they are completely different creative processes.

“As a director, it’s your creativity and how you interpret the play,” CdeBaca said. “When you’re a director, you’re the ring-leader while as the stage manager you’re a supporter.”

One of the most humbling experiences for CdeBaca was when people walked out of the theater during the preview night of a play with controversial themes called, “Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All For You.”

“At first, I was really upset by it, but then I was flattered by it,” CdeBaca said. “Not because I want to offend people, but I want to ignite something in people; to speak to people through theater.”

Cdebaca is currently stage managing the upcoming student play, “Mother Courage and Her Children.”

After that, CdeBaca is transferring to a university to pursue a bachelor’s degree in theater.

“It’s going to be hard to leave EC theater department because it’s been very nurturing, helpful, kind and everything to me,” CdeBaca said.

CdeBaca said that it’s going to be hard to go outside the comfort that she has in EC.

Then she admits, “It’s also exciting, too, because I think I have grown as much as I can here at El Camino.”