Published Apr. 7, 2022
By AVA CAMARGO
The visual and performing arts department made a collective decision to cancel the Carmel High School annual VAPA performance this year due to COVID-19 setbacks and interfering school events.
Since the Jan. 18 and Feb. 10 dates didn’t work out on account of the Omicron spike, department chair president and Video Production teacher Brian Granbery hoped to push the show back until May 6, but teachers were hesitant due to AP testing that week. On March 23, the department agreed that adding another performance heavily conflicted with other school events, such as the school play, the music and choir Heritage festival field trip to Southern California, the art show and the dance show.
“During the first few show dates, COVID-19 was pervasive so we decided to delay it,” Granbery explains. “From there the music and drama departments were unavailable, so we came to the conclusion that it may not work out.”
The VAPA show at CHS was loosely established in the early 2000s and started as an open house event in the gym. In its current incarnation, performances from CHS art, music, choir, drama, video and dance courses create a multimedia production shown to the entire school each year in the theater.
“The VAPA show was the first ever performance in our theater when it first opened and hasn’t been canceled since then,” dance teacher Kristine Tarozzi says.
Even in 2021 during distance learning, the VAPA department was able to put out a 50-minute video with at-home performances and art.
CHS music teacher Brian Handley comments on how the curriculum of his classes are impacted with VAPA show rehearsals each year.
“When we get back from winter break in January, 75% of the focus is on the VAPA show because the time window is short and we have to make sure we are ready,” Handley says, “so it certainly took some time to rehearse.”
The VAPA show, according to music teacher Brian Handley (left), gives students a rite of passage into the world of multi-media productions. (courtesy of CHS Yearbook)
Unlike music, choir classes stopped preparing for the show early this year, but committed class time during the first semester to learning collaborative performances with music and dance, along with a piece from the musical “Dear Evan Hanson.”
“We spent quite a lot of time on the show,” choir teacher Thomas Lehmkuhl says, “but completely dropped it and have not looked at it since December. So in terms of re-learning and polishing, our piece wasn’t ready to be performed whatsoever.”
Minor performances from a few VAPA classes will take place during the art show April 20 and the open house April 28, partially to showcase what VAPA classes are about to incoming freshman and new staff, but it will be minimal compared to the usual production.
“Over the past couple of years,” Handley says, “we’ve been bringing the eighth graders here so they can see what VAPA is all about before they decide what classes they want to sign up for, and now they have no idea. Same goes for new staff members who have never seen us in action, so how do they value it?”
Though disappointed, visual arts classes completed their VAPA show works without the added stress of rehearsals. Art teacher Steven Russell says, “It’s not as intense to create the visuals used in the show compared to the performing arts classes who have to constantly practice a specific composition.”
Similar to art, Video Production II students believe that performing arts classes are more affected by the cancellation.
“It was pretty demoralizing when we first found out the show may not happen,” CHS junior Jerry Marnell says, “but it wasn’t as big of a concern for the video department because we had already filmed our section.”
With the amount of class time and preparation put into performing arts pieces, Jazz Workshop and Dance III’s collaboration, as well as Dance IV’s piece, will be incorporated into the end-of-year dance show.
“The VAPA show is one of my favorite performances because we get to showcase what we have been rehearsing to the entire school,” says CHS senior Ruby Maxion, the dance club president. “It [was] particularly special in dance this year because we brought in a guest choreographer to set choreography on dance four.”
Despite this year’s cancellation, the VAPA show will return in January 2023.
Jen / April 7, 2022
Great article! But What disappointing news for teachers, students and the community. The kids work hard and I would imagine they would want to showcase their talents. I wish they could have found a date somehow, sometime.
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