Music Collaboration in the Works

Unifying The Arts is a project thought up by Ms. Goyette, the new drama teacher here at Poly. Her plan is to bring together all of the arts programs–choir, orchestra, jazz–and perform a musical. Due to the reconstruction of the auditorium, the musical most likely will not happen until the 2016-2017 school year, but the instrumental and vocal departments are already in the early stages of preparation.
Goyette’s interests in starting this began when she observed the divisions within the Poly arts programs; aware of the untapped potential of unification, she began to plan this massive undertaking upon receiving her new position.
She is certainly the right teacher to ensure that this project is completed. Goyette graduated from University of California, Irvine, with a degree in musical theatre, working as a theater advisor at a performing arts magnet school prior to Poly. In addition, she was also a background performer at Disneyland, acting as Ariel the Mermaid in the daily parades.
For the following year’s musical, Goyette is looking to put on Lynn Ahren’s Once on This Island. The musical is a Caribbean retelling of The Little Mermaid, centered around the romance of Ti Moune and Daniel Beauxhomme. The musical aspect consists of many island beats and Latin melodies, two new areas for the musical department to explore. Furthermore, the story is one rooted in love and friendship, themes guaranteed to attract a diverse audience.
Though the instrumental and vocal departments have already begun rehearsing their parts, this project is not limited to those already involved in the arts; auditions will be open to any Poly student. Goyette hopes this will bring the hidden talents of Poly students to light; she wants to make sure there are no entry barriers, for talent is the decisive factor.
Considering the depth of these departments in past years, the current absence of a program like this is confounding. This can be attributed to one major factor: budgetary restraints. A majority of the department funds goes to purchasing sheet music, so there is not much left for discretionary spending. In order to finance this project, Goyette has started planning fundraisers to raise money for the musical.
Unifying the Arts has the potential to make these departments more familiar to Poly students and faculty. In the near future, the school will have to add a third category to its reputation: artists, for the arts are an under-appreciated but wholly essential component to Poly’s success.