Performing Arts Begin in-person Rehearsals

Ever since the fall, when sports started practicing and competing in person, students in the performing arts have been standing to the side watching their fellow students participate in school sponsored extracurricular activities. Now for the first time in over a year students involved in performing arts finally have the opportunity to meet in person. Crofton High School’s drama club, The Cardinal Players, is meeting for the first time in person this Thursday, April 22. Chorus begins in-person rehearsals on Monday, April 26, orchestra begins Monday, May 3, and band rehearsals begin Thursday, May 6.

Virtual performing arts have been tough on students. Freshman Ava Frederick, who is in chorus, has really missed “being with other people.” She feels as though it is “harder to improve and practice when you’re alone as a lot of the fun with chorus is being an ensemble and being able to blend together is a very important part.” It was nice to have something but Frederick also shared that “I’ve missed doing it in person so much, half the fun of doing performing arts is being with other people.” 

Freshman Caroline O’Neil, who is in the drama club and chorus, agrees with Frederick saying, “seeing people completely entranced by a performance I’m doing, it gives me life.” Virtually you just don’t have the same experience as in person. “Teachers made it feel as close as they can to the real thing and I really admire them for that but nothing can beat the real thing,” she shares.

Despite the excitement that comes with being able to meet in person, lots of students shared that they were very disappointed in how long it has taken for performing arts to meet in person, especially since fall sports were able to meet in the fall and now again in the spring with seemingly little to no restrictions compared to pre-Covid times. President of Drama Club Reagan Davey shared that she is not surprised because “Sports really do get a lot of unfair advantages over the arts.” Sophomore Caitlin Fish, who is also a part of the drama club, agrees and added that, “It’s upsetting that arts are pushed to the side while sports get top priority. It shows how the arts aren’t a true concern like I would hope they would be.”

Even though performing arts are finally able to meet in-person, it will still not be anywhere near the same as normal. Normally chorus, band, and orchestra would be able to have these rehearsals during class time but because of how many people can be in person and other restrictions like the fact that chorus classes can only sing for 30 minutes each rehearsal they need the extra practice time. As for drama club, they are only meeting every other week. In a normal year they would have multiple rehearsals a week on top of some weekend rehearsals while putting on a play or musical. This year there will be no in-person performances.

Regardless of everything that has happened in the last year, all students involved in performing arts are thrilled to get back to doing what they love. Fish said, “I missed interacting with my friends, getting to collaborate together, and put on something we were really proud of.” She, like many others, is super excited to go in person and get back to putting on shows. Davey shared that she is “looking forward to talking to my friends and seeing the new theater.  I’m so excited for a backstage tour!” O’Neil added that she is “so excited because I haven’t done much performing arts activities in a long, long, long time and finally we get to go back and do what we love again!”

Hopefully these meetings are the start of things opening up again, and next year performing arts students will be able to showcase their talents by playing in concerts, singing together with friends, and performing onstage in the brand new Crofton High School auditorium.