Gilroy
– The show must go on.
Rehearsals for
”
Flapper,
”
the second annual middle school play, were suspended right
before spring break after more than 60 hours of rehearsals, and
with costume and set design under way
– not to mention the 54 middle school students and their parents
who have invested time, energy and money in the play.
Gilroy – The show must go on.
Rehearsals for “Flapper,” the second annual middle school play, were suspended right before spring break after more than 60 hours of rehearsals, and with costume and set design under way – not to mention the 54 middle school students and their parents who have invested time, energy and money in the play.
Although no one would say exactly what led to the suspension of rehearsals, on the Gilroy Unified School District’s Web site dated March 22, there was a posting announcing the suspension of rehearsals due to “organization and management” concerns.
“We had suspended rehearsals because there were concerns about the management and safety for the students,” said assistant superintendent Jackie Horejs. She would not elaborate, but did mention that a tentative solution was in development.
In a meeting between the district and parents Monday, plans were discussed for getting the play back on the stage where it belongs. But for now, “It is still suspended with hopes of going forward,” said GUSD’s director of student services Marcia Brown.
“Flapper” was being directed by Rucker Elementary theater instructor Pepe Espinosa and assistant director Zoe Gonzales who had previously worked together on the first middle school play, “Rock Around the Block.” Neither were available for comment.
The middle school play is a unique opportunity for students across the district to participate in a unifying school theater production as actors, technicians and set designers. Rehearsals were held at South Valley School and according to some of the cast members, they were all business.
“I was surprised,” said Kathyrn Sinon, a choir member and seventh grader at South Valley after learning of the play’s suspension.
“We get done what needs to be done,” said Bri Suner, a seventh grader at Ascension Solorsano Middle School. “We were all there for the same reason.”
Students who didn’t ordinarily work together, practiced two to three times a week after school for the past two months, memorizing their lines and perfecting their dance routines for opening night April 29.
“Now we’re just waiting,” Suner said. “Hopefully it gets back up. We all know that we have parents who are determined to let us have a play.”
Denise Apuzzo, who has two children in the play is one of them.
“It will be happening,” she said of the district’s efforts to resume the performance. “It will be back up and running.”
Until a final agreement is made and parents are notified of any changes, students are just hoping for another opportunity to practice.
“I’ve made a lot of friends,” said 14-year old Jasmine Ross. “This is my first play.”
While most of the actors and actresses had yet to see the costumes, the loss is still there.
“I miss all the fun we had,” Sinon said. “I was looking forward to performing.”
