Back on Stage

By Doug Santana - Director of Performing Arts

When students returned to campus for hybrid classes in March, almost exactly a year after the pandemic sent everyone home, the performing arts program set about bringing 11 different outdoor concerts to life on campus in just 17 days. The performing arts faculty and staff worked closely with the administration to find ways to have students share their talents with live audiences while still following the latest health and safety protocols from the state.

“We had been holding out hope that our students would have the chance to come together and perform this year,” said Choral Director Mrs. Erin Simón. “I’m so thrilled we were able to give them that opportunity after 14 months apart.”

Highlights included a day of choral music in the Sola Amphitheatre under the direction of Mrs. Simón that featured ensemble and solo performances from the concert choir, vocal ensemble, and the award-winning jazz choir, Kind of Blue. A spring dance recital featuring more than 40 performers was also held in the Schott Family Commons on a beautiful spring evening. The event featured three levels of dance performers, including students in the Dance 1 and Dance 2 classes, as well as the Royals Dance Ensemble.

Later, the Power Courtyard was transformed into a live music venue featuring the AMHS orchestra; the band, Jazz in the AM; and the liturgical rock group, Exodus. The same space was also configured to feature comedy club performances from Pardon My French and a Broadway-style advanced acting showcase, featuring some of the school’s most talented actors and actresses. Faculty and staff worked hard to make the transitions between performances seamless, sometimes with just an hour and a half to make changes between events.

In addition to these live performances, other creative venues for sharing music took form in the spring. In the music program, performance groups worked with instructors to create digital music and recitals. The results brought our community a variety of virtual events, including a Jazz in the AM guest artist concert collaboration with alumnus Lee Pardini ’03, who is now

“We had been holding out hope that our part of the folk rock band, Dawes. The dance program kept moving by creating digital recitals with students students would have the chance to come learning choreography virtually and together and perform this year. I’m so then filming themselves performing thrilled we were able to give them that at home with equipment provided by opportunity after 14 months apart. the school. All pre-recorded concerts ” Erin Simón and recitals were presented using YouTube Premiere, which allowed virtual audiences and performers to watch together in real time. Viewers shared applause and shout outs using the YouTube chat feature. The popular sketch comedy group, Pardon My French, also took the virtual stage multiple times to perform live using Zoom Webinar. They even got to take the Zoom stage with the acclaimed musical improvisation group, Baby Wants Candy, this spring. Over the past year, students and faculty have been committed to keeping the arts alive at home and — recently — back on campus. Being able to perform in person was a perfect way to end the year. Students got to hear the one thing every performer lives for — live applause. We look forward to many more memories with live audiences next school year as we return to campus full time and turn the lights back on in the Kinkade Theatre.