WEST NORRITON — A spotlight points to a glaring hole inside Norristown Area High School’s arts program as a permanent position in the theater department has not been filled for years.
The discussion during a recent Norristown Area School Board meeting began with public comment from several area residents expressing concern over the program’s solvency as school board members were presented a proposal for a 14-week contract with the Norristown-based Theatre Horizon to provide assistance to drama students wanting to put on a winter performance.
“It is unacceptable that a public school such as ours does not have a high school theater program,” said resident Susie Carpenter. “It is not okay for students to wrap up the school year and not know whether they’ll be able to participate in the drama club the following year.
“It is not okay that we have not held a full musical production since 2022,” Carpenter continued. “It is not okay that we graduate students interested in pursuing theater without the skills or experiences to compete in the industry as actors, costume and set design technologists or production specialists.”
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Lori Logan, who also resides within the school district, stressed the importance the arts have on students and others within the community as she implored elected officials to “fully fund the program” in order to find a “qualified director from year to year who can support the performers and help facilitate at least two shows a year that showcase the talent of our students.
“I’ve been a part of the theater family here at Norristown, and I’ve seen the camaraderie, the camaraderie they create. It’s like a family, and it gives them that space to really be themselves and have fun,” Logan said.
As the 2025-26 school year gets underway, a $15,450 agreement with Horizon was authorized in an effort to “support Norristown Area High School’s drama club.” The five-figure contract covered the “staffing, schedule and budget” parameters related to an upcoming production. Its start date will begin Oct. 26 and a final performance was slated for Feb. 20, 2026, according to the contract, which provides assistance for rehearsals, technical rehearsals, dress rehearsals, and the performance itself over the course of more than three months.
While the contract was approved, school board members shared the concerns of area residents for high school students looking to get involved in the arts.
“So the amount that we are spending for this program will not get us anywhere near a full production for this year,” school board member Phil Daniels said at a recent meeting. “I guess, most broadly, we’re funding athletics. We fund robotics, all as we should. We should also be funding drama and these sorts of stage productions, particularly at the high school and the middle school.”
Daniels estimated it costs around $100,000 to showcase two full scale productions, which involve securing licensing fees, costumes, a director, and stage crew. Daniels added that drama club members ran into trouble in the early stages of the season due to lack of funding.
“Last year, they wanted to produce, they wanted to put on a production of ‘Heathers,’ but they were unable to even afford the $1,500 licensing fee,” Daniels said.
While Daniels expressed his support for Horizon, he said he would have instead liked to increase their involvement and raise the budgeted item by $50,000.
“It’s not that we don’t have the money budgeted,” said Superintendent Christopher Dormer. “It’s not [that] we haven’t had a budget in years past. We’re here … because we’ve been unable to internally fill the director position, so they could access the budget the way that we’ve done in years past.”
Dormer noted it’s historically “been a stipend[ed] position,” and it’s unclear why the previous theater director “stepped away.” School board Vice President Ingrid Parker too said she’d “like to see a larger budget,” and school board member Xaras Collins inquired if officials could “include tapping our knowledge base of retired teachers” when it comes to the ongoing search.
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Assistant Superintendent Yolanda Williams insisted they’ve been “thinking outside the box” when it comes to the issue that remains top of mind for staff members. Williams added she’s been in touch with Principal Detrick McGriff on the matter, and that discussion revealed that “teachers … weren’t interested in taking the stipend, the extra duty extra pay.”
However, Daniels insisted the line item be revisited come budget season to rectify the situation.
“But we could have negotiated a much more robust program, but yet we’re asked to approve 14 weeks at $15,000,” Daniels said. “I will note that I believe last year, Theatre Horizon got $10,000 and had to spend $5,000 of their own money to put on a program at the high school, and frankly, that’s embarrassing.”
