Winter Guard

10 Feature April 23, 2021 A Pandemic Performance

Colorguard places top 3 at TCGC competition in Georgetown

Bryan Ross | Co-Editor As the guard lines up to take the floor, the tension is palpable. While they’re still wearing masks, and the crowd in the stands is socially distanced, the energy in the moment feels the same. After last year’s Winter Guard season was cut short because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the current Winter Guard season started late for the same reason, the varsity Winter Guard performed at a live competition for the first time in 385 days at the Texas Color Guard Circuit Georgetown contest March 27. After the long wait, senior guard captain Jillian Tidwell said that the performance was more satisfying than it would’ve normally been. “It was a lot more satisfying to finally perform in front of an audience instead of just a camera because it's fun to hear the audience react to what's on the floor, and you don't get that with virtual competitions,” Tidwell said. “Of course it's the first in-person competition in late March, instead of late February, which made it a lot more satisfying to actually perform for the first time in over a year.” In addition to the pandemic, the guard also brought in a new director for the second time in the past three seasons, meaning the class of 2021 has had three different color guard directors during their time in high school. Jesse Skaar was officially hired as guard director May 8, 2020, so he has had to come into a new program midpandemic, which he said has been challenging. “Coming into a new program where you don't know faces is a struggle,” Skaar said. “Coming in I didn't have a rapport with anyone. And on top of that, most students are learning from home, so I don't have that interpersonal communication that I would have if I had been here before the pandemic. So kind of running at first, just trying my best to develop those

relationships with all of my students during this pandemic and seeing what I could do to engage them online.” In some ways, the pandemic has made adjusting to a new director easier, senior guard captain Cassidy Smith said. “It was a little bit difficult, especially in the beginning, whenever we couldn't meet up with each other, so we didn't have this like connection to our director in the beginning,” Smith said. “But I also think with the pandemic it's like we're all going through it together, especially Mr. Skaar, so like with all of us going through this

pandemic together it was kind of like, ‘okay, it's something new for all of us.’ I guess it wasn't as difficult to adapt to another new thing, which was a new director.” Smith said that having a new director can feel like being a rookie again. “It kind of feels like we're all starting at the same exact point,” Smith said. “Like yes, we know the basics and everything, but the work that Mr. Skaar gives us, it's with a new director, it's completely different work than we ever had with [our previous directors], so we're all learning at the same time, and it's a little

bit different. Obviously, we know a little bit more than the freshmen and everything, but I think even for the seniors this year, it feels like we're all a brand new guard, especially since the seniors left and everything. It's like a totally different guard than it was before.” Another challenge the guard has had to deal with this season has been getting quarantined multiple times. The first time was right before the season started, which delayed the beginning of their season, and the second time was midseason. “This pandemic has really thrown curveballs at us and the band program, and every activity in the schools has faced this pandemic a little differently,” Skaar said. “So with all these different curveballs that get thrown our way, you just have to live, evaluate and adjust.” The guard placed third in their division at TCGC Georgetown and used the recording of their performance to qualify for the Winter Guard International semifinals, a virtual event. “Yeah so I'm not gonna lie, it wasn't our best performance,” Smith said. “We've done better, but I think most of us came off the performing area really strong, like we felt really good about ourselves, which is something that you don't usually do when you didn't do a great show. But I think that since it was the first time performing in a while, it felt really good to be back out there and even be in the same hallways that we were in previous competitions. It was really nice to be back there and it kind of felt a little bit normal.” Skaar said that regardless of tangible success, he hopes that the guard can end on the highest note possible. “I'm not concerned with placements,” Skaar said. “I am concerned that it's going to be their best show and that they feel like they've done everything through this year, and through this season to end on the highest note that they can. And that should be the best feeling out of everything.”

Senior Jillian Tidwell performs during TCGC Georgetown. Photo provided by | Anthony Davis

Volume 14, Issue 6 Feature

11 One Act Play advances to regionals

Kaitlyn Nash | Asst. Editor On April 15, the One Act Play team departed from the school at seven in the morning on their way to Pasadena ISD to compete in the One Act Play regionals competition. This was after the team were in the top two at bi-district and top 3 in district which allowed them to advance to regionals on March 25. “I think we felt super accomplished in the fact that we had only been working on the show for about 3 and a half weeks at that point,” drama teacher Nicole Malone said. “The fact that the performers were able to take it to a new level at bi-district and advance to region was really exciting.” Having to prepare for the One Act Play competition in the COVID-19 era provided unique challenges for the One Act Play team, but the team was able to push through the circumstances they were under. “It’s super hard having to do OAP in a mask,” freshman Bella Monette said. “For me, what’s always in the back of my head is 'Can everyone hear me?' 'Am I being loud enough?' Just stuff like that. It’s also super hard in general because half of our face is gone.” Another struggle that the team faced was working out how to start practices for One Act Play and assign roles. “It took us longer to start because we basically we [started] in stage 5 so we kind of had everybody broken up into smaller groups in case we would have to quarantine people,” drama teacher Michael Fisher said. “They probably spent more time just kind of working and improvising in small scenes from the show. They knew the play relatively [well] before we started blocking it.” In fact, the One Act Play team only had a short amount of time to prepare for their show before performing it in front of the judges. “The first time we competed we only rehearsed for about 2 weeks and 2 days and you’re only allotted 8 hours a week [to practice] via UIL rules so if you’re really calculating that, we’re looking at maybe 18-19 hours of rehearsal going into the district competition,” Malone said. “The snowpocalypse sort of impeded our efforts.” Although the team pushed through the difficulties placed in front of them, it was still a struggle for Malone to see the difference between COVID-19 performances and rehearsals and the years before it. “There are just moments of it that are really sad because [of] the nostalgia of being a part of One-Act Play since I was in high school,” Malone said. “[It’s] really hard looking at it from the perspective of the way things have changed this year. Not getting to see other shows, having to perform in masks, not getting to do the team bonding, and the group activities that we would usually do on contest day or before contest day. All of that joy is having to be circumvented in other ways so that we can be [safer] and Covid conscious.” Despite the hardships, freshman Addi Villegas, who competed in One Act Play. still enjoyed her time in the department. “I was definitely excited and nervous to compete in my first production at HHS,” Villegas said. “[It] was a healthy mix of both emotions. Personally, I’ve met a lot of great friends this season and it feels really good to be able to compete and perform. I will definitely try out for OAP again next year and continue to grow within the department.”

Seniors Michael Ybarra and Jeremiah Gorman preform the One Act Play. Monty Thompson | Photographer

Hawk Drama prepares for spring production

Natalia Zavaleta | Reporter The theatre department will be continuing their yearly tradition of putting together a musical performance. Students will be performing for three days around the middle of May. More specific dates will be announced soon. The musical process is looking different this year according to director and theatre teacher Nicole Malone. “We are performing the musical out of the musical theatre class this year,” Malone said. “Usually we have open auditions after school.” Most rehearsals at the moment are happening during class time. She says students are working very hard to make the most of it. “We usually start by learning the music and then transition into blocking the show and choreography,” Malone said. “This year is difficult with our accompanist for the musical being online teaching music via Zoom but the students are embracing the challenge” The musical will also be incorporating virtual students in order to allow for everyone in the class to participate. “The students are working diligently on the music,” Malone said. “We will begin blocking and choreography.” The musical that has been chosen this year is “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee”. It features a small cast and a variety of songs. It also allows for the department to continue safely practicing social distancing and CDC guidelines. “It fits the performers in the class,” Malone said. “And offers a safe opportunity for performance with a smaller cast that can be socially distanced on stage.” Malone said that the department is hoping to have a live audience at 25 percent capacity of the performing arts center. “I’m not sure many know we are doing a musical yet,” Malone said. “We haven’t made a huge public spectacle of it as we are just getting started and hoping we can open in May provided everything keeps going in this direction with the district allowing small performances.” Malone is looking forward to this year’s performance. “I’m excited for the musical,” Malone said. “I love musicals and the opportunity to have the students perform is always what we are aiming for in the department.”