CRLS students who participate in theater heavily miss the annual musical that CRLS typically holds in the fall. The musical is typically an event that the entire school gets excited about, and raises school spirit, as well as draws the entire VPA department of singers, actors, dancers, and musicians together.

We would love CRLS to hold a musical in the spring, to bring back this tradition, and introduce a new generation of CRLS students to it, as well as give seniors a final farewell/last chance to participate in it. We are currently holding a fall play instead of a fall musical- we are so grateful for even having the chance to do in-person theater 

The reasons we have been told we cannot have a musical are insufficient, and we as a CRLS theatre society have solutions for them as follows:

1. A musical involves too many people on a stage at once, which is against COVID restrictions. This could be solved by picking a musical that is less dance-heavy and does not need a huge ensemble onstage at once. Smaller musicals like Next to Normal or Little Women would solve this. This would be a fun opportunity to choose a musical featuring a smaller cast, in contrast to the giant musicals CRLS typically holds.

2. We cannot have such a large-scale project performed to an audience in an indoor space. Because of the warmer weather in the spring, we could potentially hold the musical in an outdoor venue like Starlight Theater, if the city permitted it. If not, student actors would be content with live streaming the show online, with a limited audience in person.

3. Live music requires people without masks. If performed outside, we could have musicians socially distance, which would match city guidelines. If not, actors could sing to a pre-recorded track. We would require actors to use masks while singing, a protocol that CRLS programs like a cappella and traveling chorus are partaking in while being approved to meet/perform on similar scales.

We hope you consider signing this petition, as students in CRLS theatre society feel extremely strongly about this. Thank you for reading! - CRLS Theatre Students :)