1) In your opinion, what sets your theatre program apart from those of other schools?
A few months ago we had an orientation meeting for prospective students and their parents. Our students fielded questions about what they liked about the Hollywood High School Performing Arts Magnet and they replied that they loved the performing, the rehearsals, the teachers, the intense camaraderie they shared with their fellow performers. When asked what they didn’t like about the school, they answered,”Going home.”
Let me share with you the typical day in the life of a performing arts student. I liken the school day to boot camp for it starts early, is arduous, demanding and ends late! Our students are highly motivated to attend our school, so many of them rise each morning at four or five to get on the bus to be here by 7:45 when class begins. The students take academically challenging classes such as A.P. Calculus and Government in addition to their performance classes in dance, voice, acting and play production. The school day for the regular high school students at Hollywood ends at 3:05 but not for magnet students. Our performance classes in drama, dance and music will continue until five or six or seven or many times even later. When we are rehearsing for a show and are drawing closer to the opening, we will stay until nine or ten at night, and of course, there are the all day Saturday and Sunday rehearsals.
Many of the student-performers live far from school and must find their own way home
after these late night rehearsals - there are no buses after five p.m. - and the students
rise at four or five the next morning to do it all over again. And of course, there are the
weekend rehearsals. In order to participate in these shows, the students must maintain
a solid grade point average. As you can see, the level of commitment and responsibility
that is demanded of our students is tremendous.
- What is your school’s philosophy towards training students in theatre?
Our attitude towards training is embodied in the belief that each student is an artist and has the gift of creativity. It is our mission to free that student to express what is locked inside her or him. Our training is rigorous with the intent to instill discipline and awareness of self and others, and to prepare the young artist for additional training for a professional career. However, it must be noted that the focus of the training is not just to develop the young artist for a professional career but to develop the mind, soul and heart of a human being who may or may not become a professional artist but whose life has been touched and expanded through the arts. This young person will carry through out life the lessons, the awareness and the discipline that her arts training has given her.
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