A regular letter block meets for six hours and fifteen minutes each eight day cycle. The spring musical meets for six hours and fifteen minutes every five-day school week. Performers also have rehearsal on some Saturdays where they stay almost all day, along with tech week, where they stay for over four hours every day. In weeks leading up to the final performances, performers also have five-hour long dress rehearsals. To receive a performing arts credit, students must take a one-semester letter block class. The “A” block meets for a total of 62 hours and 30 minutes in one semester while during musical season, all the rehearsals add up to around 147 hours and 15 minutes. Performers put much more time and effort into the musical than a letter-block class, so why don’t they get a performing arts credit on their transcripts?
Last year, a new requirement was added. The class of 2028 and younger will now have to complete a total of four unique credits in the arts category. They now have to take at least one music, one performing art, and one visual art class while also being required to take one additional class in any of those sub-categories. The past requirement was a total of three credits without a requirement of which classes one needed to take, meaning students technically didn’t have to take a music or a performing arts class and could hypothetically just take visual arts classes until they fulfilled three credits. If a performer is able to obtain a performing arts credit for the spring musical, it would help achieve their arts credits, no matter if Parker uses the new or old requirement system. It would also help the performer with making their everyday schedule more attainable.
As soon as the second semester hits, my homework load increases. As a sophomore, I have almost two hours of homework each night between all of my classes and no free period during the day. When you add a three and a half hour rehearsal after school, it makes it extremely hard to complete all of the work assigned to me. The letter block that I could be using as a free period to help get my work done is instead my Speech 1 class that I am taking to fulfill my performing arts credit. I believe that instead of having to take a full semester long class, I and other performers should be able to receive that performing arts credit for participating in the spring musical. This would help performers find time to complete their homework during the school day.
As of today, performers are expected to complete their homework after rehearsal or find time in their busy schedules to do it. This makes it extremely difficult for performers to prioritize their wellbeing. I typically get home around 8:30 after a tech week rehearsal. When I get home I have to eat dinner, shower, do my homework, and get ready for bed. By the time I complete all of this, it’s around midnight if not later. Going to sleep that late can affect academic performance and health. If performers are able to eliminate doing homework after rehearsal, they will be able to get to bed around 10 p.m. This would give them a full night’s rest, allowing them to be more energized and awake throughout the day.
Even though health is a priority, there are more benefits to giving a performing arts credit. If we are able to make this change, it would also motivate more students to join the spring musical. This would allow for more elaborate musicals that require more participants than we have today. The more people who join, the more exciting the musical, which would not only benefit those participating but everyone who comes to see the show as well.
A performing arts credit for the spring musical would benefit those who put their dedication into the shows and those who come to see those performers shine on stage. Being in a production is extremely hard work and the best thing we can do is support performers by helping them academically with an arts credit.
