Swan song for next year's musical?
Jillian Melchior
Issue date: 2/5/09 Section: Arts
The music department's budget will be tight already because it must rent scores, maintain pianos and pay for utilities to monitor temperature, avoiding damage to instruments, Holleman said.
More money will be spent on its expansion of the opera workshop next year to make it a full-stage production, a decision partially made to cater to the exceptionally high number of good mezzo-sopranos in the program, Holleman said.
"I think we can still function," Holleman said. "I think we can still have a good program."
But Kate Jones, a junior theatre major, said eliminating the musical would disappoint students and hurt the departments.
"I understand the budget cut thing," she said. "Budget cuts are always terrible. But I would have a huge problem with cutting the musical. It would be a big disappointment. It would minimize the program and a lot of publicity for the program."
Last year, as a sophomore, Jones had one of the lead female roles in "Zombie Prom," a musical that played to a full house nearly every night. She said she's been excited about performing in another one her senior year.
Furthermore, she said she feared a cancellation would isolate some theatergoers.
"A musical is just very important because it's approachable in a way that a lot of the plays that we do here aren't," she said. "With plays like 'Biederman and the Firebugs' or 'Hedda Gabler,' we attract a very theatrical crowd. But musicals get a very different crowd. It's something that is a lot more relatable than other plays we do."
Jones said a larger opera should not be viewed as a suitable replacement. While many music and voice majors try out for the operas, far more students who wouldn't otherwise do theatre or music audition for the musicals, she said.
"It's not really an alternative option in my mind," she said. "It's kind of a completely different direction."
Both departments await feedback on their budgets; administrators could approve them or ask them to cut even more. Neither chair knew the exact date when their budgets would be returned.
Nevertheless, both Holleman and Angell said the college has handled the budget cuts well, including professors in the discussion and the decision-making.
"It seems to me that the fiscal restraints that we've been asked to do are more like getting ready for the fight, not desperation mode," Angell said. "But there will be small changes, and they will continue to affect people."
More money will be spent on its expansion of the opera workshop next year to make it a full-stage production, a decision partially made to cater to the exceptionally high number of good mezzo-sopranos in the program, Holleman said.
"I think we can still function," Holleman said. "I think we can still have a good program."
But Kate Jones, a junior theatre major, said eliminating the musical would disappoint students and hurt the departments.
"I understand the budget cut thing," she said. "Budget cuts are always terrible. But I would have a huge problem with cutting the musical. It would be a big disappointment. It would minimize the program and a lot of publicity for the program."
Last year, as a sophomore, Jones had one of the lead female roles in "Zombie Prom," a musical that played to a full house nearly every night. She said she's been excited about performing in another one her senior year.
Furthermore, she said she feared a cancellation would isolate some theatergoers.
"A musical is just very important because it's approachable in a way that a lot of the plays that we do here aren't," she said. "With plays like 'Biederman and the Firebugs' or 'Hedda Gabler,' we attract a very theatrical crowd. But musicals get a very different crowd. It's something that is a lot more relatable than other plays we do."
Jones said a larger opera should not be viewed as a suitable replacement. While many music and voice majors try out for the operas, far more students who wouldn't otherwise do theatre or music audition for the musicals, she said.
"It's not really an alternative option in my mind," she said. "It's kind of a completely different direction."
Both departments await feedback on their budgets; administrators could approve them or ask them to cut even more. Neither chair knew the exact date when their budgets would be returned.
Nevertheless, both Holleman and Angell said the college has handled the budget cuts well, including professors in the discussion and the decision-making.
"It seems to me that the fiscal restraints that we've been asked to do are more like getting ready for the fight, not desperation mode," Angell said. "But there will be small changes, and they will continue to affect people."
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