On Oct. 24, the choir, drama, and music students were fortunate enough to attend the 35th Annual New York Cabaret Convention in Manhattan that the Bay Shore Schools Art Education Fund (BSAAEF) completely funded. This program itself raises money for the high-school arts students to attend arts programs. I was one of the students who could attend this event.
When we arrived at the Lincoln Center, I was amazed. When you first step into the building, it feels like you’re stepping into a prestigious exhibit. Everything was so polished and clean. Overall, it was a great atmosphere. When we sat in the theater, I was fairly shocked. I did not think that such a beautiful theater could have been hiding within this establishment. The seats were aligned with the stage to create an incredible view.
A high-school performer stepped onto the stage in a red dress and belted, “Saving All My Love For You.” She was spectacular, one of the best performances of the night! The young lady who wore a red dress, almost giving a fire illusion to her presence, stood out to me because of her rendition of the song. She was one of the very few performers who got a huge applause. During the convention there were two acts of performers. The performances were very unique and you got a taste of what every performer could do when they each stepped on stage. There was one man who performed magic tricks while singing and then another performer doing dance routines.
The performances were incredible and the ride to Manhattan, though long, was a beautiful sight to drive through both day and night. I loved going on this trip and it’s one that I’ll never forget.
Opportunities like this are important because you’re exposed to the skills and talents that people are capable of. You get a chance to see what you don’t normally see at your school or your local theater. Seeing this in Manhattan specifically, I felt so incredible after the show and in complete awe by how much talent and passion I had seen that night come from that stage.
Every student deserves the chance to have the opportunity to experience the performing arts. The fine arts can be eye opening and even life changing to people who don’t participate in theatrics or performing arts. It’s just an amazing feeling throughout the soul when you get to see that hint of magic hit a stage in such a short amount of time. The hard work, dedication and tears is what makes any and every performance so memorable and something that is worth the watch. This is why it is so important to take children on field trips, so that they can have a chance to witness something they are not a part of and have their own interpretation of what it was that they just saw in front of them so it can inspire them later.
My personal lesson from this experience was to relish and take advantage of the opportunities that these trips offer, especially since so many are supported by schools or organizations such as the Bay Shore Schools Art Education Fund.
