Lagniappe cancelation the main topic at New Trier board meeting. Will school officials reconsider?

Disappointed and upset with New Trier High School’s decision to cancel and replace its 86-year-old student-run variety show, supporters of the program confronted the School Board on Tuesday and asked the administration to reconsider.

Twelve supporters, ranging from current students and parents to New Trier alumni who were participants in Lagniappe-Potpourri, spoke during the public commentary portion of the meeting on Jan. 21, sharing how the show impacted their lives, presenting petitions and questioning the reasoning behind the decision to cancel the program.

In December and due in part to low student participation in recent years, New Trier officials announced that they were no longer going to offer Lagniappe-Potpourri to its students. Reportedly, instead of Lagniappe, the school plans to add a student-led board that will produce the freshman-sophomore musical.

The variety show has been a tradition of New Trier dating back to 1939 and is entirely student-run, when participation allows.

The rationale

Just prior to public comment, Denise Dubravec, assistant superintendent/Winnetka campus principal, invited Nina Lynn, the longtime faculty sponsor of Lagniappe-Potpourri who is retiring at the end of the school year, to speak about the show’s history and the future.

Lynn said students have repeatedly said during post-Lagniappe debriefing sessions that the most important part for them is the opportunity to work across different peer groups, building connections and getting opportunities to participate in collaborative leadership.

She specifically highlighted how student leadership makes Lagniappe unique.

“There are other places in the (performing arts) program where students get to perform, they get to build sets, they get to hang lights, all those things,” Lynn said. “But this is really the place where we nurture and highlight student leadership.”

That reportedly will continue under the new model.

“In addition, we’ll continue the long-standing Lagniappe-Potpourri mentorship program that ensures that every leader is paired with an adult with experience and expertise in their particular assigned area,” she said.

While rising juniors and seniors are ineligible to participate in the freshman-sophomore musical, Lynn said the school is working with students to look at other potential opportunities, with Dubravec mentioning a possible variety show that includes original skits, songs and dances.

“The performing arts staff believes in this revised Lagniappe-Potpourri’s potential to foster an experience that is more authentic in terms of what students will actually be doing beyond New Trier while honoring our values,” Lynn said, adding, “The community-building, the leadership opportunities, the sense of ownership and the creative experiences that have been baked into Lagniappe-Potpourri are still strong.”

Dubravec also addressed two rumors around the ending of Lagniappe. She said that financially the performing arts division is strong and has even added opportunities over the past several years. She also said the rumors that the school doesn’t support satire are “not accurate.”

“We welcome student voices and welcome student creativity, including writing satire,” she said. “This occurs in many courses beyond performing arts and it will continue.”

‘Upset and confused’

Those who spoke up during public comment expressed disappointment that New Trier has decided to cancel Lagniappe-Potpourri.

Ethan Epstein, a junior who has participated in Lagniappe and started an online petition to get the show reinstated, said it is an important part of New Trier for students involved in performing arts.

“Lagniappe offers a hands-on, creative experience unmatched by any other program at New Trier,” he said. “It’s something that we students look forward to as our capstone opportunity in our education.”

Epstein said he has offered potential solutions to the administration, including taking a year off to restructure the show, but he doesn’t feel they are willing to listen.

“To be clear, all I’m asking is that you trust next year’s senior class to fill our promises and give us an experience that will benefit not only us, but the whole New Trier community,” he said. “I’m confident the class of 2026 is committed to writing, producing and directing a great show.”

Sophomore Alex King, another Lagniappe participant, said she and her friends were “upset and confused” that the decision to end Lagniappe was made.

She criticized the lack of student input when it came to the decision.

“The show gives students a voice of creativity to really express themselves, to let their potential shine,” she said. “This is an incredible opportunity catered towards the students, made by the students, and it’s beautiful. It’s amazing to see it get pulled off every year, so that’s why it feels so hurtful to have the students not be included in this decision.”

Alumni Rick Paul said he was involved in Lagniappe in the 1960s and it had an impact on the rest of his life. He said he’s worked consistently in theater, film and Hollywood as a designer since 1965, “and I learned it all in Lagniappe.”

“Everything that’s ever been useful to me has come from my work in Lagniappe,” he said, adding that many of his friends are alumni of the show as well. “It’s just an incredibly valuable program.”

Parent Mary Kelly thanked the performing arts program at New Trier for being supportive to her children and asked that if the school does replace Lagniappe that it be unique to the school.

“Lagniappe makes our students stand out,” she said. “Whatever you do end up replacing it with, I would hope that we can differentiate our students from other students across the country.”

Following public comment, Board President Jean Hahn thanked those who spoke up, saying, “You’ve given us all a lot to think about” and that conversations about Lagniappe will continue.

The Record is a nonprofit, nonpartisan community newsroom that relies on reader support to fuel its independent local journalism.

Subscribe to The Record to fund responsible news coverage for your community.

Already a subscriber? You can make a tax-deductible donation at any time.