The Covid Protocol concerning non-sport events put La Jolla High Schools production of West Side Story in jeopardy this past week. Said Protocol, set by The Visual and Performing Arts office of the San Diego School District, informed the school that the musical would have to be moved outside. Due to limited resources and the advanced technical aspects of West Side Story it would be virtually impossible to have the play set outside. The musical has already cost over 12,000 dollars to produce and the theater department has gone through strenuous efforts to make sure everyone included in the show is COVID-19 safe. It was very upsetting for the cast to find out that their show might be canceled after putting so much dedication into it. This is why they instantly got to work, searching for a solution. “So we found out what happened and we immediately started to get bodies for the movement,” said Junior Jack Backus.  

Ben Jimenez created a Change.org petition explaining the situation and quickly many people got on board. The cast also reached out to San Diego’s local newspapers to push for the allowance of inside plays, along with presenting speeches to those in charge of the San Diego School district. Finally on February 4, after a very stressful week for the theater department, the San Diego Unified School District gave the all clear for the show to go on as originally planned. Ben Jimenez said, “I was so excited and honored that so many people had supported us!”  West Side Story will run February 25th-26th and March 4th-5th, so come support La Jolla High’s theater department.