There is nothing like an exciting night at the theatre, a rousing musical ensemble, or a mesmerizing dance performance. The Raleigh suburbs have access to exceptional performances in the fine arts, and I don’t mean just at DPAC or Martin Marietta. Our area schools are producing shows worthy of acclaim, and you don’t have to drive far, fight traffic, or pay high ticket prices to see them. Even better news, Fuquay-Varina has four schools offering first-class entertainment through their band, dance, theatre, and chorus departments.
Fuquay-Varina High School, Willow Spring High School, Fuquay-Varina Middle School, and Herbert Akins Road Middle School are the academic homes to thousands of students learning, playing, and making memories that will last a lifetime. For many of these students, those memories include performances that were preceded by class time learning, after-school rehearsals, at-home practice, and more. Those performances bring laughter, tears, amazement, pride, and most of all appreciation from the audience.
Fuquay-Varina schools offer dance, theatre, chorus, and band to students as elective courses. Students take these classes during their school day, but their dedication does not end when the bell rings. This spring’s lineup of fine arts performances at these area schools will not disappoint. So, gather your family and friends, and head to the schools’ auditoriums—it’s showtime!
Fuquay-Varina High School
Band
Fuquay-Varina High School bands have competed and earned nearly 50 caption and class awards over the past five years. The advanced bands consistently receive “excellent” and “superior” ratings from judges. Band director Matthew Edwards is busy preparing his band students for another great season of performances and competitions. Along with other music courses, Edwards teaches three levels of band students—beginning band, symphonic band, and wind ensemble. This spring, members of the different bands will perform at two different adjudications for expert judges who will assess an overall rating. This is also the inaugural year for the FVHS Winter Guard, which will compete at several local competitions.
The more than 60 students in the FVHS band program work hard to provide an entertaining experience for concertgoers, and you won’t want to miss the upcoming opportunities to see them perform. There are three concerts this spring, including the Pops Concert Fundraiser on Tuesday, April 23. For tickets and information on any of the band performances, visit fvhsband.org.
“Audiences at our concerts can expect quality performances of quality music,” said Edwards. “Our students are learning to be expressive, independent performers through a variety of literature—classic pieces of concert band music, transcriptions of film and classical favorites, or cutting-edge pieces written for bands like ours. We’re excited to share all of these with family, friends, and community members.”
Chorus
Fuquay-Varina High School chorus director Tyler Cole is continuing the tradition of great choral performances that he learned as an FVHS student. Cole and his more than 80 students will have to work hard to improve on last year’s awards. In 2023, the advanced choirs swept their competition at Dollywood, winning 1st Place Women’s Ensemble, 1st Place Mixed Ensemble, and 1st Place overall. They accomplished this despite competing against groups twice their size that had traveled from as far as California.
As an audience member at a chorus concert, you can expect more than just singing. Cole explains that his students learn the background of their pieces so they can emote the text and history connected with the songs. There is a visual aspect included with movement and lighting changes to enhance each piece.
“FVHS chorus concerts feature a diverse selection of music presented with utmost attention to detail and with the audience’s experience in mind,” said Cole. “In addition to some standard classical pieces, choirs perform African American spirituals, South African folk songs, pop arrangements, modern choral compositions, and traditional songs native to anywhere from Lithuania to Brazil.”
Dance
For those who hear music and can’t help but sway back and forth, the dance department at Fuquay-Varina High School offers audiences an exceptional show. Dance can be an expensive art form, with lessons, costumes, shoes, recital fees, and more, but the program at FVHS is free for students, making it available to all who want to participate. Program director Deborah Gray strives to provide a space where students can express themselves in an environment free from judgement.
“People have been dancing since the dawn of time for a multitude of reasons but always as a form of expression,” explained Gray. “The students at FVHS have the opportunity to express themselves in a way that they may not have been able to before.”
The dance department’s spring concert will feature large group and solo or small group performances ranging from beginner to proficient dancing. Most pieces showcase the modern dance style, but will incorporate jazz, lyrical, contemporary, hip hop, and more.
“It’s beautiful to see some of the students grow from shy, quiet individuals at the beginning of the semester to expressive, confident artists at the end of the semester,” said Gray.
Theatre
Fuquay-Varina High School’s theatre department offers classes in acting and technical theatre, which encompass all that goes into making a staged production, including scenery, lighting, properties, costuming, and sound. Paige MacGovern, theatre director, has nearly 90 students this year ranging from beginning theatre arts and beginning technical theatre to honors theatre.
“Theatre is a place for students to be their authentic self; we always want to welcome everybody and anybody who wants to be a part of the theatre program,” said MacGovern.
MacGovern is also the director of the school’s two stage productions each year. Auditions are open to all FVHS students. The spring musical, “The Sound of Music,” is a collaboration of the fine arts departments. The band plays the music, the chorus director directs the show musically, the dance director choreographs, and the theatre director directs the cast and builds the set for the show. FVHS’s performance of “The Sound of Music” is in April.
Willow Spring High School
Willow Spring High School may be one of the newest schools in Wake County, but they have already received numerous accolades for their performance programs.
Chorus
The chorus program, directed by Devin Hocutt, is only two years old, but they have already earned the program’s first “superior” rating, performed by invitation at Carnegie Hall in New York City, and performed for Governor Roy Cooper at the Governor’s Mansion. The program currently has more than 100 students across three choral groups. The students learn a variety of styles of choral music with the aim of exposing them to the outside world while providing a fun musical experience. Hocutt’s goals for the chorus program include continued success at exhibitions and more opportunities to perform around the country and the world. Hocutt is dedicated to providing a place where students feel comfortable, build friendships, and develop a life-long love of learning.
“Too often the community only hears about the negative in our schools, but chorus, and the arts, is a place that demonstrates just how awesome our students and schools really are,” expressed Hocutt.
At any WSHS chorus concert, audiences can look forward to a professional performance with a diverse selection of music. Their spring concert is in May and is free to the public.
Band
Willow Spring High School’s performing arts department includes a robust band program. Students can sign up for concert bands as an elective and they can participate in extracurricular ensembles. The program consists of 140 students led by band director Kevin Still. Over the past two years, the marching band has earned many awards, including several first-place awards in competitions.
This spring, 68 students will be performing at Disney World and the concert and symphonic bands will participate in local exhibitions. Band performances showcase a variety of music styles and often incorporate special guest performers, soloists, small performing groups, as well as unique sound. The WSHS marching band offers high-quality artistry based on central themes. The WSHS band concert will be at the end of May and is open to the public.
Band is a program with many benefits explains Still. “Students learn to be themselves and yet work within a larger team that is working towards a common goal. In addition, our band program will hopefully become a source of pride for the Fuquay-Varina area.”
Theatre
If you are a theatre-lover and you enjoy seeing many artforms come together, you won’t want to miss Willow Spring High School’s spring musical, “Seussical.” This production is a collaboration between the chorus, band, dance, and theatre departments. As the theatre director, Athena Reaves, said, “It takes a team to pull off these kinds of shows.” The show will be in March in the school’s auditorium.
All WSHS students are welcome to audition for the school’s theatre productions, but if they want more in-depth theatre training students can choose theatre as an elective. There are currently about 200 students involved in the theatre program, including both classes and after-school activities.
Theatre performances at WSHS are professional and entertaining. Reaves describes what audiences can expect from her department: “Theatrically speaking, I like to try to get audiences to believe in our performances. I want them to believe in the world we have created for the show. It takes the coordination of lighting, sound, scenery, costumes, makeup, crew, and the actors to make this happen!”
High schools are often the focus of attention in communities for sports and performing, but Fuquay-Varina has two great middle schools offering performing arts for students just entering the arena. Don’t let them fool you, though, their hard work and dedication is just as impressive as their older counterparts.
Fuquay-Varina Middle School and Herbert Akins Road Middle School
Chorus
In middle school, any student can join chorus as an elective starting in sixth grade. Laura McCracken, chorus director for Fuquay-Varina Middle School, has 182 students already making their mark. Last year’s choir received an “excellent” rating and this year’s eighth-grade choir will be traveling to Busch Gardens in April for rating by a panel of judges.
The students in McCracken’s chorus classes learn a variety of music, performing etiquette, and how to work as a small community—all of which will be showcased in their upcoming concerts. Additionally, chorus provides a bright spot in many students’ day.
“Kids tell me all the time that chorus is a place that feels like home,” said McCracken. “But what really speaks to me is when a quiet student comes to me after years and explains that chorus is what kept them coming to school, and the friends they made there are family.”
Fuquay-Varina Middle School is fortunate to have a chorus program as not all middle schools do, and many existing programs are being dissolved. McCracken explained how the community can help by offering to volunteer at performances as well as provide donations of money, time, seamstress skills, and performance clothing. Most of all, attend their performances and share your experience. “Arts programs tend to survive on word-of-mouth,” said McCracken. “The more people talk about a program, the more likely it is that that program will continue and thrive.”
Band
Another group of students gaining attention is the 135 students in FVMS’ band program. Cole Merrick’s teaching has helped produce several All-County and All-District Band members over the years. The band is sure to earn many more accolades as they perform in three exhibitions in the coming months, including at Busch Gardens’ Festival of Music in April.
Our community can enjoy a band performance at their spring concert in May. Concertgoers can expect a wide variety of music from classical, to pop, to “good ole” band music. The students work hard to perform music at a high level and provide the audience with a professional performance.
“Our program represents not just our school but our Fuquay-Varina community,” said Merricks. “The FVMS band program is one that students can take pride in. They will take the memories of being in our band family with them wherever they go!”
Theatre
The Broadway Bengals at Fuquay-Varina Middle School encompass the theatre classes, extracurricular programs, and the school’s theatre productions. Kristin Lundberg has more than 250 students learning not only the skills involved with acting, but also how to use those skills to connect with the community. Recently, Lundberg’s drama club collaborated with a local retirement home to reenact the residents’ stories and treasured memories. Additionally, the students performed scenes from “Romeo and Juliet” in the recent Middle School Shakespeare Festival and will perform a selection from Lundberg’s own play, “The Only Living Ismene,” at the Broadway Student Summit in New York City, after which they will receive feedback from Broadway professionals.
In March, The Broadway Bengals invite audiences to enjoy the full production of Lundberg’s “The Only Living Ismene.”
Lundberg feels strongly that theatre is an important mainstay to school children. “The theatre specifically is vital in the public schools to build voice, collaboration, and confidence in students to pursue their dreams, as well as give them opportunities to explore their skill sets in a non-traditional way,” said Lundberg.
Herbert Akins Road Middle School’s theatre program is in its inaugural year, but they are starting off strong. With theatre classes for sixth through eighth grade, a drama club, and an after-school play production, Travis Pressley is a busy theatre director. Pressley explains that the theatre program is important to parents and students alike.
“This program is important to our community because it provides a sense of purpose and belonging for the parents, guardians, and community members, just like it does for the students,” said Pressley. “Additionally, we are so lucky to live in a place that is so rich in the arts, and this program allows students to immerse themselves in the arts so that they can continue that experience when they get to high school, college, and/or in their adult lives.”
Pressley’s students will be producing “The Little Mermaid, Jr.” in May. Pressley is excited for audience members to see all the talent, hard work, and dedication that the students will showcase in this production.
Fuquay-Varina is home to so many talented performers of all ages, and they are blessed to be taught by experienced, loving teachers each day. The program directors at the four area schools have received numerous accolades, awards, and recognition for their talents and their ability to inspire their students. The awards are well-deserved, but each teacher expressed that the most important success they can gain is to give their students a place to feel welcome, accepted, and encouraged.
This feeling of “home,” as many of the teachers called it, has encouraged some of their students to continue in the arts after graduation. There are former students whose experience in school performing arts programs and their love of their craft have compelled them to make a career out of singing, playing an instrument, dancing, acting, or supporting these vocations. Many students are sharing their talents through teaching, music therapy, and as band and choral directors. In addition, Broadway, touring groups, music videos, theatre crews, and movies have all benefited from the talent and skills honed in Fuquay-Varina school programs.
Not every student in a performing arts program desires to continue performing after graduation. The majority are looking for a place to find like-minded friends, develop their skills, and make memories to last a lifetime. No matter where they go after high school, these students are working hard and enjoy sharing their craft. When you have enthusiastic teachers and talented, dedicated students, you can create magic on stage! They hope to see you when the curtain rises.
For a schedule of performances, see page 46.
