Thankfully, in this wonderful community that is Schreiber, we don’t have as much of a problem with negative student attitudes towards drama programs.

Unfortunately, though, the lack of funding has become our crippling reality.  At the start of this year, there were budget cuts in nearly every department.  One program, lost all of its funding—the Main Stage Productions.

“We have honestly anticipated this cut for years,” says Ms. Foster-Holzer, special education teacher and musical director, “We understood it was only a matter of time before we lost it and we’re glad to have had the money coming in for so long.”

The department has been trying to become more self-sufficient in recent years in anticipation of the cut.  The school’s Drama Club, a student-run club who puts on shows such as Actoberfest, Dinner Theatre and the Young Playwrights Festival, produce them annually without a dollar from the district.

Main Stage has sought to beef up revenue in recent years by making cast members pay fees in order to participate.  Students pay a fee for the makeup and costume pieces they require, the t-shirts, and for the program ads.  These reasonable adjustments during this financial crunch are sensible and necessary for the success of the program.

One thing that cannot be saved, however, is ticket sales, which is the club’s biggest source of revenue.  This depends on student involvement and interest.  Students are advised to see the winter musical, go to the art show, and maybe even make a small donation.