Due to the construction going on in and outside the school, the auditorium was shut down. This has impacted many, including the theater group at Park. Theater now practices in alternative locations, like classrooms, a middle school theater and in Central’s cafeteria.
According to junior Sela Myers, the auditorium being closed is negatively impacting the group’s process going into winter’s one-act show.
“The auditorium being closed definitely affects our winter one-act show,” Myers said. “All of the costumes, props and set pieces are all in the auditorium. We can get them out if we need them, but it’s still hard to access everything we need and move it to where we are rehearsing. We are making it work though.”
Principal LaNisha Paddock said they have been communicating with the middle school for performances such as theater and music events to be held in their auditorium.
“We have been working with regards to theater and music events with the middle school and creating a comprehensive list of activities that we would host over there,” Paddock said. “With the hopes of next fall being back in our auditorium space.”
Junior Libi Ackerman said the performances will be held at the middle school theater. She said the space is completely new to most of the group, but they are adjusting to and overcoming this challenge.
“The third space we’ve been practicing in is at the middle school theater, which is a new space for a lot of us considering it didn’t exist until around the 2021-2022 school year.” Ackerman said. “We’re all really grateful to the middle school for letting us perform in their theater, but it does mean we’ve had to adjust to a completely different sound and lights system.”
Paddock said the auditorium will stay closed until the cafeteria is finished. She said it felt like the space in the auditorium wasn’t fitting for students or guests because of bathroom issues.
“There is an ADA accessibility ramp–out door four, but we felt it was not appropriate to have students or families go outside to use the auditorium space, nor once you are in there did you have access to two bathrooms,” Paddock said. “So at this time, the auditorium will be closed and it probably will stay closed until the cafeteria is finished.”
Ackerman said the auditorium being closed has definitely been impacting the theater group badly as a whole. The group is unable to have access to necessities for rehearsals.
“It’s definitely been negatively affecting theater as a whole,” Ackerman said. “The auditorium is more than just the stage, and it being closed means we don’t have access to the shop, paints, props, power tools and costume room.”
Myers said they have been practicing in new facilities. The rehearsals have just started but so far they have been going smoothly.
“We are now practicing in C350, at Central in the cafeteria, and at the middle school,” Myers said. “The rehearsals are just getting started, but so far they’ve been good. We are adjusting to the location well.”
