Sparks of excitement travel through St. Daniel hall as Concert Chorale anticipates their trip to Spain and the Benet Theatre Troupe prepares to take on New York. These trips are open to all students involved in the theatre and music department of Benet and promise to provide an amazing, world-widening experience for all interested thespians and musicians.

In January, during the weekend after finals, members of the Benet Theatre Association have the opportunity to travel to New York for four days and three nights. The group will leave on the morning of Friday, January 18 and return home Monday, January 21.  Their itinerary includes seeing three amazing Broadway shows: Mean Girls, Come From Away, and To Kill a Mockingbird. On the third day of their stay, the students will also have the amazing ability to participate in a theatre workshop with the cast of Come From Away, receiving instruction from some of the best professionals working on the stage. The group also plans to get in their fair share of sightseeing, going to see Central Park, Fifth Avenue, the Empire State Building, the Rockefeller Center, and the NBC New York studio before leaving the Big Apple. Of course, these students will also be sure not to pass on getting a slice of famous New York City pizza, as on the Saturday night after the second show of the trip, the students will go to the iconic John’s Pizza for a late night bite. They’ll return home on Monday after their Broadway workshop, both energized and exhausted by the fast-paced and exciting schedule.

Over the summer, the Concert Chorale juniors and seniors will have an equally incredible opportunity to travel to Spain from June 9 through June 20. Their trip will include visiting several historical sights and giving impromptu choir concerts while being given the chance to try some authentic Spanish cuisine. Some highlights of their adventure will include seeing the royal complex of the Abbey of San Lorenzo de El Escoríal, the Moors, the Alcazar Palace, the Plaza de España, Granada, the Alhambra Palace, and several museums in Madrid, with many more wonders in store. The choir has scheduled several concerts at locations including the Royal Chapel and the Abbey of San Lorenzo de El Escoríal. Senior Maeve Scheltens says in anticipation of the trip, “I’ve never been on an airplane before, and I’ve never really been out of the country, but I’m just way too excited about all of this to be scared. I know my friends will be looking out for me.”

All of those signed up for the trips are ready to explore new places and learn about new cultures as well as grow in their understanding and knowledge of the arts.