Despite the Performing Arts Center’s (PAC) scheduled completion year being in 2022, unprecedented events delayed the project for another year, with no final date for completion. Due to a combination of irregular weather changes and the past quarantine years, the PAC’s desired construction speed declined but has steadily been making progress. Compared to last year’s construction update, the center has an installed roof and more exterior structure for the other practice rooms.
The Performing Arts students are reliant on the features of the PAC in order to replace the current limited classroom space and to keep up with the increasing number of students.
Currently, Dub-C, the highest-level dance class, is practicing and choreographing in a portable classroom with 50 students. The condition of the room does not have a proper dance floor; the portable has carpet flooring instead of hardwood flooring, and the dance mirrors are bent and warped. Limited space and an improper dance environment, make performing to its fullest difficult.
Theatrics hold their performances in the Bulldog Cafeteria with limited seats and viewing by being the only location with a stage. In May of 2022, Theatrics held their spring play, “Puffs”, in the Bulldog Cafeteria with some students and staff standing during the hour-and-a-half performance due to limited seating. It was also difficult for the cast and crew to cross back and forth between the main stage and backstage when switching scenes.
Wescovaires, the highest choir class, struggle with their portable room being non-reverberant, making it difficult to hear the dimensions and voices compared to a reverberant room. They are also struggling with the high demand for an intermediate choir with 50 students in one portable classroom.
Senior Julianna Othmer, a student in Jazz Band, Wescovaires, Theatrics, and Dub-C, shared her concerns about the current conditions of all performance rooms.
“We have done what we can, to the best we can, in the spaces we have been provided, but our true talent would be able to flourish and shine brighter in a bigger, better, and more professional space,” said Othmer.
According to Principal Charles Park, the upcoming PAC will solve these current issues. Park claimed that the main theater will have connected studios to its stage that will be dedicated to each performing requirement. They would be separated with a proper reverberant room and space to dance and sing. To fix the current small capacity for Theatrics, the new theater would fit 650 students and staff.
Despite the tight performing circumstances, each branch of the Performing Arts has been excelling in talent and skills. Every year they hold annual concerts, performances, and musicals in smaller areas, but soon they will be able to display their talent on a larger scale.
