High school students gathered in the gym after the Mental Health Teach-In Day to hear sophomore Ananth Mangalam rapidly introduce the variety show. Speed-reading was the first of many talent acts showcased at the performance, which was emceed by senior Kavi Grab.
The variety show was staged in person on Tuesday, Jan. 28 for the first time since before the coronavirus. The event was organized by the Student Staff Council.
“During SSC we were brainstorming ways to boost morale; I think Grace [Khuzami] suggested it,” SSC President Natalia Freedman said. “She was like ‘We should have a talent show.’ Coincidentally, Gabrielle [Holder] was meeting with us about Mental Health Teach-In Day and planning everything, and we thought we should do it on Mental Health Teach-In Day, so that’s how it came to be.”
SSC representatives opened the show after Grab and Mangalam’s introductions by dancing and lip-syncing to a medley from Pitch Perfect in coordinated outfits and sunglasses. “I walked to the stage and I was nervous, but I had faith in my team,” Freedman, one of the performers, said. “It was really fun, and it was a good bonding exercise.”
The first of many faculty acts was a rendition of the song “(Don’t Go Back to) Rockville” by R.E.M., performed by teachers Patrick Scallen, Topher Dunne and Mike Wenthe.
“All of the musical performances, I thought, were incredible,” history teacher James Elish said. “They put that together around a shared interest in R.E.M. and absolutely crushed it.”
Many audience members told the Bit two standout performances were science teacher Cori Coats’ rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” and English teacher Jade Hage’s “Popular,” from The Wizard of Oz and Wicked, respectively.
“I think my [biology] teacher, Cori Coats, was really good, which was surprising. I was blown away,” freshman Maceo Lindsey said. “It’s interesting to see these people who we have a parasocial relationship with, yet they have lives outside of us.”
“In terms of community, I think [the show] adds a really great element of fun and shared experience and support for each other,” Coats said. “They have thought of me as only a biology teacher, but I do have another side.”
“I think it’s really cool being able to see your teacher perform ‘Popular,’ or ‘(Don’t Go Back to) Rockville.’ It makes them more human,” Freedman said.
A group consisting of faculty members Elish, Bobby Asher, David Gillespie, Quinn Killy, Adam Durham and Greg Dallinger and seniors Elena LaGuardia White, Shanwai Lin and Sadie Boyle danced to NSYNC’s “Bye Bye Bye.”
The red-hoodied group was a crowd favorite, with four audience members telling the Bit Dallinger’s performance of the Worm at the end of the dance was a highlight.
“The most fun part was practicing with Shanwai [Lin] and Sadie [Boyle] and seeing how talented and interested they are in dance,” Elish said.
Senior Wyatt Grace showed off his unique ability to not only walk, but jump across LEGOs barefoot. “It doesn’t have to be serious—Wyatt’s LEGO walk, for example,” Freedman said. “Just fun things that I feel get you involved in the community.”
“There is a variety of talents showcased, and everybody just felt included,” sophomore Rafia Yeerken said. “It was a great event to put everyone together in the gym to just have laughs together.”
Sophomore Elena von Zastrow performed a tap dance solo, which was entirely improvised. “I think the tap dancing was really interesting, and I wasn’t expecting that, in a good way,” Lindsey said.
Sophomore Joy Edwards and freshman Ella Kang closed out the afternoon with a duet to Meghan Trainor and John Legend’s “Like I’m Gonna Lose You.”
“I got down there, I started performing, I got the mic and I was shaking. I was vibrating,” Kang said. “I was watching each person, and I have so much respect for each person who’s a performer.”
As for the return of the performance in the future, Freedman is hopeful. “I hope people do the variety show next year; I think it’ll happen,” she said.