Rochester School of the Arts

Back in the dark ages, when I went to high school and performed in the musicals (strictly chorus), the audience for our shows consisted primarily (solely?) of fellow students and family.  Since I don't have kids, I've never had the occasion to attend a high school production, and it would never occur to me to want to.  Then I heard the kids from the School of the Arts perform.

I've often passed the School of the Arts (SOTA) building in Rochester, but never given it much thought.  If someone had asked me, I'd have guessed it was a private high school.  I had heard, however, that the Drama Department had been invited to perform at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival this summer (as part of the American High School Theatre Festival) , and I was curious to learn more, when I had the opportunity to attend a presentation by Adele Fico, Art Center Director. Adele is an extremely accomplished and passionate woman, who has been at SOTA for over a decade.  She explained that the students at this public middle and high school must live in the city of Rochester (which made sense once we understood that it was a public, not private school), and must declare an arts major, in addition to the normal classes they take.  She was justifiably proud of the school's statistics:  over 90% graduate high school, over 90% continue with higher education, and the school has the highest attendance rate in the city.  Not all of the students make the arts their career (although one notable exception is Taye Diggs, best known to me from Private Practice, and being Idina Menzel's husband...), but the training and discipline enable them to excel in a myriad of fields, such as computer technology, science, and law.

When people ask her how SOTA is so successful, she answers that it is because of the arts focus - that the arts are a necessity, not a luxury - they are the "carrot" to keep kids engaged.  If only other schools would come to this realization, instead of their incessant focus on sports!  It reminded me of a comment Marvin Hamlisch made at a benefit I attended years ago on the importance of the arts in schools, and especially performing arts, as an outlet for kids who are not athletic, or who might be a bit 'different' and need a way to express themselves.

Acceptance to the school is based solely on audition, not academics, and SOTA auditions many more students than it can matriculate.  Adele noted that in auditioning a 6th grader, the focus is less on talent than it is on passion, temperament, and ability to take direction.  It was heartbreaking to hear her tell of students who give their primary reason for wanting to attend the school as the desire to go someplace safe.  70% of the students live below the poverty line, so it was not surprising when Adele explained that several of the students who were supposed to perform at Edinburgh had to drop out because they could not raise the funds necessary to participate.  15 students will be going, however, and performing Seussical the Musical.  We were fortunate to hear some selections, performed by eight of the 15, and were enchanted.  Although they have not yet begun seriously rehearsing this show (since they're focused on their current Legally Blonde production, which runs this coming weekend), and despite some of their voices still recovering from winter illnesses, the kids, in partial or possible costumes, gave us a hint of the parts they will perform in Scotland.

My Florida friend and occasional bridge partner, Nanette, will be attending the Fringe Festival at the end of July and early August, so I know she'll be on the lookout for their performance (and she'll keep her eye out for them on the Royal Mile, where they will be performing snippets and passing out flyers for the actual show).

The SOTA drama department performs seven shows a year - who knew?  I hope they perform Seussical in the fall, when they return, so that those of us who aren't fortunate enough to got to Scotland this summer will be able to see the show, and also hear a bit about their trip, and what they learned from the experience.  And I know I will be on the lookout for the 2014-2015 schedule, and make a point to attend at least one of their performances.  I guess I don't have to be a parent to enjoy a high school musical, after all!