The truth is, not all senior showcases are created equally. I would be very wary of a showcase where student’s have to fundraise. I agree with the comment above, that the “market” demands school’s have a showcase. Students and their parents want a showcase. But who attends the showcase matters, otherwise it’s just a expensive celebration of student’s hard work. A lovely thing to have but pricey.
Make sure to ask questions regarding showcase when looking at prospective programs. There was a good thread on this a few years back. http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/musical-theater-major/1991705-the-truth-about-senior-showcases-in-nyc-or-at-least-my-perspective.html