Performing Through the Years: How student sections and performances have changed throughout the past four years

Tightening her white bow and smoothing on her blue face paint, senior Maddie Thibodeau prepared to stunt and call cheers in front of a student section for the first time in two years. The filled stands of cheering students dressed in East spirit wear reassured her— it was almost back to normal compared to the silent, empty stands last season.

No one would take the fully packed student section for granted this year. 

Thibodeau used to dread the two hour football games without stunting due to COVID and the smaller student sections at games in years past. Now that things are transitioning back to normal, student sections are the largest she’s seen throughout her four years.

“I think people aren’t taking school events for granted anymore because they know what it’s like without them,” Thibodeau said. “So the atmosphere this year has been better than years past and I feel like [the school is] so much more united. No one expected to lose a whole year of student sections so everyone just wants to support each other.”

Thibodeau has made the most of her senior season through performing more for the larger student section. Now that she doesn’t wear a mask while she cheers, she makes sure she smiles even wider so the crowd can see how much she enjoys herself. She yells cheers for her squad, making sure that the team and the student section can hear her clearly.

Throughout the last few years, seniors have learned to appreciate the little things, from full student sections at the Rockhurst game to non-masked theater performances.

For senior Essy Siegel, last year’s theater season filled with socially distant performances and smaller casts motivated her to promote the program more this year than ever before. Whether it’s sharing events with Pep Club or posting on the @smetheatre Instagram, Siegel does her best to make sure every theater event has a full house. 

“When I was an underclassman, if you were in theater, you knew about the events but everyone else didn’t know,” Siegel said. “I just feel like the arts are starting to get appreciated on a larger scale across the whole school.”

According to Siegel, theater and choir had to follow stricter rules than other school activities. While other sports were allowed to have practices and play in games unmasked, trying to rehearse together was an uphill battle. 

“It felt like no one, not even the school, wanted us to be successful,” Siegel said. “But we’ve definitely come back from that and I think we’re getting to where we were before [COVID] with involvement.”

Last year’s low enrollment in theater classes left Siegel worried if they would even be able to continue after the senior class graduates. But now with no more restrictions from the district, theater enrollment is up and they’re able to continue the events they love, from Frequent Fridays to cast scavenger hunts. 

Senior Toby Rodriguez, who’s been involved in choir for the past four years and a member of Chamber Choir for two, has noticed the choir environment change with the lower enrollment numbers and the lack of motivation that online school created. 

Last year choir was almost nonexistent, according to Siegel. The online Webex choir classes forced people to sing on mute with cameras off. The Chamber Choir was unable to rehearse in person, and they only got to put on one concert. This affected the tight bond the choirs normally have, according to Siegel. 

The routine of choir class has changed since last year, according to Rodriguez.

“A lot of people aren’t as interested in choir now after last year,” Rodriguez said. “People still aren’t entirely used to coming to school and being present every day. It’s just tricky for a lot of people to get back in the swing of things.”

Despite the lower enrollment, Rodriguez still enjoys the in-person classes and normal concerts in Chamber Choir tuxedos. They’ve been able to perform through the entirety of the school year for parents, friends and family at all four concerts this year.

In and outside of choir, Rodriguez believes that East has still maintained its high standard.

“I think everyone still respects the traditions, everyone still enjoys this school,” Rodriguez said. “I just feel like the student body and their respective spirit for school has stayed the same, everyone still has the same pride to go here.”