Being Alive - Attend A Performance(+2)

 

This summer, I visited the Professional Performing Arts High School in New York City to attend their Senior Class performance of the musical Company, written by Stephen Sondheim. PPAS is a public arts high school where students study different areas of live performance. My friend transferred here during their junior year of high school, and they were elated to get the opportunity to pursue their love for the arts professionally. They almost lost this opportunity due to major budget cuts in major of 2024. The school needed critical funding to continue its theater program. Through the efforts of students, the community, and Alumni, they raised over $100k in donations alone. The efforts to secure funding were achieved when Manhattan Assembly Member Tony Simone secured a $632k grant for the school, emphasizing his appreciation for arts education.

    Arts education is often overlooked and underfunded, especially in minority communities. Music and performance have shaped my entire life. Research done by The Arts Education Data Project in 2022 showed that over 2 million children do not have access to arts education (music, dance, theatre, and visual art). Inequality in the arts is an issue because art should be a form of expression for people of any race, gender, and class. BIPOC and lower-class citizens are underrepresented on and off stage and in the stories that we tell. Theater is an art form that shares true and fictional stories through live performances and involves acting, singing, and dancing. The creation of art reflects current ideas and experiences in society, so the existence of inequality means that it cannot be a study of society as a whole. Additionally this creates a challenge for providing many BIPOC students with a chance to pursue the arts. 

 This performance was a wonderful showcase of the flexibility of theatre through the cast, set, and costuming. Our main character is a man named Bobby. The production chose to swap his character and many other characters' genders. I loved watching how these actors made each character their own. I encourage all art lovers to continue to support your local educational institutions so that they can continue to provide for the youth. 

-Jordyn O'Neal