Students from Dolores schools are acting out on a Cortez stage.<\/p>\n
But Re-4a school officials would rather have the drama unfold in Dolores by reviving the once-popular theater club that fell victim to budget cuts two years ago.<\/p>\n
\u201cDozens of kids are interested in participating in a drama club,\u201d said Dolores superintendent Scott Cooper. \u201cRestoring that has been something we have been thinking about.\u201d<\/p>\n
Budget cuts, lack of space, and losing key teachers dedicated to putting on productions ended the program in 2011. Student interest has stayed high however.<\/p>\n
\u201cCurrently, we have six Dolores students traveling to Cortez to participate in theater,\u201d said assistant principal Jimmie Lankford.<\/p>\n
The Cortez Drama Club is a strong program, and there have been discussions with them on a cooperative effort to help restart a Dolores theater group, he said.<\/p>\n
Tight quarters on the Dolores campus, which is on the cusp of a major reconstruction project, makes planning for a new program a challenge.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need to think long term about how we can do this,\u201d said Dolores High School principal Brandon Thurston. \u201cThere are no accommodations for theater in the construction plans and realistically, facility-wise, we are very restricted. One-act plays we could probably pull off.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dolores school leaders are seeking adult volunteers, actors or retired drama teachers in the community to help bring theater back to town. Thurston said putting on big productions \u201ctakes as much effort as organizing a sports team\u201d and requires a lot of parent support and volunteers.<\/p>\n
Elementary principal Sherri Maxwell recalled a popular drama program.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe shows were jammed packed,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s a great activity. We used to have drama coaches who would help put on a small play in the fall and a big one in the spring. But then it got expensive and it disappeared.\u201d<\/p>\n
Productions of \u201cPeter Pan\u201d and \u201cAnnie\u201d were a huge success, said board member Vangi McCoy.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt takes a lot of parent support, but we pulled it off,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Lack of storage space for theater props is an obstacle, and finding teachers to help is a challenge because they are already \u201cmaxed out,\u201d Thurston said.<\/p>\n
It was suggested that storage issues could be solved with portable shipping containers that cost $3,000 used. The rest would be fueled by imagination and student enthusiasm for acting.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is a lot of energy behind this, and where there is a will there is a way,\u201d said Cooper. \u201cMaybe just start out by having plays quarterly. It is an opportunity to have an event for people to come out to the school.\u201d<\/p>\n