An Administrative Battle

Should Grades Affect a Students Right to Perform?

  Mt. Hope High School of Bristol, Rhode Island is currently in the middle of an intense school wide debate.  In a meeting intended to approve the school’s Program of Studies for the 2013-14 academic year, the group officials found a ground of disagreement. After heated debate and discussions between the passionate members of Mt. Hope High School Arts  Department and the School Committee, one burning question remains: should students receiving one failing grade be allowed to participate in class run program, such as concerts or plays? It has been noted that those voting against the student’s ability to perform often forget that the performances are part of their class room grade. You wouldn’t prohibit a student from taking a Math final if they are failing English, so why prohibit a student from taking their Acting final, which happens to be a play, due to failure in another subject area? If the students don’t perform in class, they will fail their performing arts course.

            Another area many of the school committee members seemed to have overlooked is the impact that the performing arts can have on a failing student. Theatre member and junior at Ht. hope, Victoria Ezikovich explained to me that theatre has been like a second home to her. “Going into any high school is scary because you don’t know where you fit in or belong. Theatre is truly one of the best places to find a home because not only is there a need to trust people and create powerful bonds for a good performance, but the people are truly care about each other and accept everyone.” Bonds like this drive the students to do well in their classes as well. Spend an afternoon at a rehearsal and you will find actors crouched in corners backstage, studying feverishly. Many actors say theatre drives them to do well in school. Ezikovich shares this belief, as she explained that “theatre teaches a lesson that can be moved off stage. After a great performance, you get an overwhelming feeling of achievement and most actors like to follow that feeling, and experience it again in different situations, such as after a good grade in a class.”

            The idea of not allowing students to participate in a required performance due to failure in a different subject is new to the school committee; so many people are worried as to why it is being suggested now. The question has been shelved, however, and should be resumed at the next curriculum meeting next fall.

Theatre Company Gears Up for Spring Musical!

In the middle of a frigid New England February, the warmth of spring often seems years away, but for the Mt. Hope Masqueraders, spring is just around the corner.  In late January, dozens of students “Put on Their Sunday Clothes” and auditioned for the spring musical Hello Dolly! The very next day, the cast list was posted and the rehearsal process began. Being a masquerader myself, I know firsthand the time commitment that has to be given by every cast member in order to put on a fantastic show. During the musical, students generally have rehearsal at least 3 times a week, sometimes for staging, and others for vocal rehearsing, and then come in every Saturday morning from 12pm-4pm for a rigorous choreography rehearsal.  "It's the most work I've ever had but I enjoy every single second of it." says senior Alex O’Hanley, president of the Mt. Hope Masqueraders. The week before the show, the actors and technical crew enter an even more intense rehearsal schedule known as “Tech Week”.  During Tech Week, cast and crew spend about 11 hours at school each day, starting classes at 8am and then rehearsing from right after school until at least 7pm, but often they go even later. Treasurer and senior of the Masqueraders, Michelle Cardoza admits “rehearsals can get extremely tedious and time consuming ...but I love them anyways.” The students eat, live, and breathe the show, and consequently, strong inter-cast bonds form. The Masqueraders could never pull off a great performance if it weren’t for their family-like bonds, so what happens off stage is just as important as what takes place on stage. Theatre kids often have interesting “bonding” opportunities, from 10 minute coffee-sprints to Dunkin Donuts, to rummaging around dusty costume closets for the perfect accessory. The cast depends on each other, helping each other with homework and constantly studying backstage, because they know that one failing grade means they are de-cast, which can throw the entire show into jeopardy. Family bonds and close friendships motivate all the actors and crew members to excel in school, they know now that when they fail it not only affects them, but the whole cast, and makes everyone suffer.  Ava Mascena, Vice President and senior of the Masqueraders, admits that “Even though it is a lot of work and time consuming, and there are moments when you hate what you are doing- these are the moments that we will remember forever, and that is something special”.

In attempt to wrangle in an audience, the Masqueraders Executive Board, in partnership with the Masqueraders Parents Board, takes charge in planning all advertising activities. Each show is funded by the Masqueraders, so audiences truly are fueling the shows by paying the ticket price and attending. Masqueraders spend months preparing posters, school news announcements, community newspaper articles, even flash mobs, all in hopes of eventually pulling in a full house, a feat which has yet to be accomplished by the Masqueraders. “School support can be so hard to get sometimes” admits one masquerader, who has decided to remain anonymous “Some teachers and administrators come every year to all the performances, and we appreciate that so much. But sometimes, if a show isn’t very well known, we lose a lot of our supporters.”

The Mt. Hope Masqueraders have recently began rehearsing for their spring show, Hello Dolly! The whimsical show follows the journey of the comical matchmaker Dolly Levi (played by Ava Mascena) to Yonkers, New York to see Horace Vandergelder (Alex O’Hanley). The stellar cast and capricious story will have families of all ages rolling in their seats and falling in love with the charm and class of 1860’s New York. Show times are at 7pm on May 9^th,10^th and 11^th and at 2pm on May 12^th. Tickets are $15 for regular audience members and $10 for students and seniors and are available online in the Husky Hut (Mt. Hope’s School store- huskyzone.org). The Masqueraders are also creating a Facebook page- so feel free to ‘Like’ them there for more updates about Hello Dolly!  and their advertising adventures!

(Left to Right) Ava Mascena, Alex O'Hanley. Michelle Cardoza, Anthony Murgo, Rachel Magers, Ricki Souza