Dear New Trier Administration,

We, the community of the New Trier, are writing to express our strong opposition to the proposed cancellation of Lagniappe Potpourri. For over 85 years, this show has been an iconic part of our school’s identity, providing a shared cultural event, fostering creativity, and providing much needed leadership opportunities to students in our performing arts programs.

Lagniappe is more than just an annual performance; it is a unique opportunity for students to take on leadership roles, hone their creative skills, and showcase their talents. Being a fully student-written and student-produced show, Lagniappe offers hands-on experiences in directing, producing, stage management, conducting, vocal direction, writing, choreographing, and much more—experiences that are invaluable in building confidence, collaboration, and resilience, on top of being a great aid to students’ college applications. 

This tradition is woven into the fabric of our school’s history. Generations of students have participated in and attended the show, with many alumni reflecting on the experience as a highlight of their years at New Trier. It is a source of pride that makes our school community vibrant and unique, while also fostering a sense of continuity and tradition. While all of the other schools in the area have variety shows, none have a tradition as rich and unique as lagniappe.

We recognize that Lagniappe has faced many challenges in recent years, but we also firmly believe those challenges are addressable and not due to the nature of the show itself. The students of the performing arts division are completely dedicated to doing everything in our power to address, among other issues, the declining attendance of Lagniappe. Despite its recent decline in attendance, Lagniappe is still, anecdotally, the most attended production by New Trier students. With that said, through a mixture of increasing the quality of the show, ramping up advertising efforts, putting on school-day previews, and working with advisers to bring back the tradition of advisery trips to see Lagniappe, we believe that we can greatly increase the show’s attendance.

We respectfully urge the administration to reconsider any decision that would lead to the temporary or permanent cancellation of Lagniappe Potpourri. We believe that together we can find solutions to many of the challenges facing the show, whether through additional fundraising, greater student board involvement, or other collaborative efforts. Lagniappe Potpourri is more than a tradition—it is a rite of passage. It would be a great disservice to the New Trier community for Lagniappe to be canceled.

Thank you for considering our voices and the great importance of Lagniappe Potpourri. 

Sincerely,

The New Trier Community

Note: The administration has stated that Lagniappe will be replaced by adding a student board to the annual Freshman-Sophomore musical. While this is a great opportunity for students, it is in no way a replacement for Lagniappe. Under the administration’s proposed plan, the show that is Lagniappe Potpourri would cease to exist