The Performing Arts have been incredibly influential parts of Herriman High School since the school’s inception, even attracting people from outside of the school to their events. Their music groups have performed not only in Herriman, but also in places like New York and Hawaii, and, later this year, California. All of the groups—including Band, Colorguard, Orchestra, Choir, Theatre, Improv, Stage Tech, Dance Co and Ballroom—work incredibly hard year round to bring the best quality performances possible to the student body and become better people while doing it. The main goal of the Marching Band, for example, is to help students build life skills like timeliness, hard work and cooperation. Sam Burke, captain of Improv Club, says his main goal is to “make people more confident in themselves by pushing them on stage without a script.”
However, before this year, all of these wonderful clubs were very disconnected, rarely attending other group’s performances or going out of their way to support each other in times of need. The few attempts to help grow interaction between clubs—including Symphonic Orchestra, which combines band and orchestra, Senior Night with band and orchestra last year, and pit orchestra for the school musical—have been helpful, but have not successfully united all of the branches.
Sam Perillo, president of Band Council, watched as many of these problems—especially the lack of connection between clubs—came to a head with the sickness and death of former Band director Raymond Hernandez. He decided to try to fix these issues and improve relationships between branches by founding the Performing Arts Committee late last year. So far, the Committee has met twice and has organized two socials: one over the summer and one later this year to decorate the halls for Christmas. The summer social was very successful, helping bring people from separate branches closer together through games and conversation.
Along with increased interaction, the PAC intends to help new clubs, like Ballroom, grow and find their place in the school while also helping to further solidify existing clubs.
The Committee is also currently working on a website that would have a schedule for all Performing Arts events, intended to inform and encourage people to attend performances whenever possible.
Some of these performances included the Improv show on Oct. 17, Orchestra concert on Oct. 16, and the upcoming shows like the Marching Band Friends and Family show on Nov. 12, and Spongebob the Musical which will be showing from Nov. 19 to the 22. Please go out and support your performing arts by attending as many of these events as possible, as well as the many more that will be following. If the Performing Arts interest you, please talk to their student leadership and teachers to see how you can get involved.
