Students planning their spring musical had the idea to fundraise money, so they are able to buy the rights for the original version of “Fame,” instead of doing the JR version.

“Fame is a show that basically talks about these students, and they are heading to high school. They just got into this prestigious performing arts school in New York, and it talks about their own individual stories and how they interact with each other, and how they grow to be like a performer, an actor or a dancer,” Sophomore Daniel Manrique said.

To make planning easier students separated the class into two groups, one oversees the fundraising and comes up with more ideas to get the money they need, and the other group is in charge of pitching the idea to administration in order to perform this show. There is a worry that Four Corners Upper School’s administration might not be comfortable doing this show because of the mature content it talks about.

“In order to prove that we are capable of doing such a material show is to fundraise if it shows that we are responsible enough to do it. Raising the money ourselves also allows us to, like present the idea to them and be like we have the money. We have already done it. Please just grant us permission,” Senior Gracie Gillespie said.

Students wanting to do the original instead of doing the JR one means they are trying to get the money to buy the right to do the play. Having the rights to a show means you have permission to do the show and it will not get copyrighted. The main reason why the students wanted to do the original version instead of the JR version even though they already had the rights to the JR version, is because of the things that are not included in the JR version they felt like there was so much important context to the story that was cut out.

“I feel that the junior version did not have things that the original one has. But we felt like that the junior took away all the character development, and these are things that are needed to be explained more in depth even though it does touch some adult concepts. And it is a better way to show the whole racism, the classism, sexism,” Manrique said.

As a class the student decides to brainstorm some ideas about how they would be able to get the money. Some of the ideas the students thought of was a go-fund-me, candy grams for Halloween and a photo booth that they did at the fall block party.

“Some of the fundraising things we have started is a go fund me and people have easier access they can donate through that. Then I had the idea to make candy grams for Halloween. Something that we were considering doing is making merchandise for our shows “Fame” and “Puffs” so we can sell those at the shows. And that money can go towards the licensing as well,” Gillespie said.

Students are determined to do this show to show because of the story that it has to tell. By choosing to do the original version of “Fame” and keeping everything in including the character development, which is included in the original version and less on the JR version.

“By doing the original fame is very important because it shows the character’s developing throughout the years, it shows the dreams and struggles without hiding the truth. It also shows how important love and friendship is for growing up as a person,” Freshman Valentina Nino said.