On Wed., March 6, the Burroughs High School Concert Choir and Madrigals presented “A Night Off Broadway,” with the help of the Intro to Musical Theatre class for the lighting design.
This performance varied from the traditional concert setting and reflected the Musical Theatre performance practices: performers did not break the fourth wall, bowed at the final curtain call, and the director/conductor, Amber Petersen, did not address the audience during the performance.
“I thought it was a really fun change of pace compared to our concerts in the past,” said Madrigal member Julia Rindt, a junior.”It felt much more lively to perform the show with no ‘breaking the fourth wall’ and with all the interesting lighting the musical theater class designed.”
The choir members performed songs from many different Broadway plays.
To begin Act I, Concert Choir, Madrigals, and soloist junior Nathan Quick performed “Sabbath Prayer” from “Fiddler on the Roof.” In the Broadway show, the song served as a blessing that a community sings to usher in their Sabbath. The students effectively conveyed the associated emotions.
Afterward, Concert Choir sang two pieces: “One” from “A Chorus Line” and “Step in Time” from “Mary Poppins.” The performers’ voices successfully portrayed the characters’ charisma and talent from the plays.
Following that, three spotlights were showcased, the first being “If Mamma Was Married” from “Gypsy,” performed by sophomores Kiana Arechiga and Genevieve Welsh. They played the characters of a daughter wishing for her mother to settle down and excellently depicted the story.
“I really enjoyed performing my spotlight,” said Welsh. “I think Kiana [and I] improved a lot and it feels really good to be able to show others and it was really fun to do it with her!”
The second spotlight sung by juniors Rebekah Dickey, Rindt, and senior Tabitha Goodman was “A Soft Place to Land” from “Waitress.” The three members expressed the feelings and comforts of the waitresses who worked together and supported each other through their hardships.
The last spotlight of Act I was “Who Will Buy?” from “Oliver!” performed by Madrigals, featuring Dickey, Rindt, Quick, Goodman, and sophomore Adrina Hinds.
After the ten-minute intermission, Act II started with Madrigals singing “She’s in Love” from “The Little Mermaid- A Broadway Musical,” spotlighting soloists sophomores Rowan Zade, Welsh, and Murolo Patchin, senior Loralie McArtor, and Dickey.
The next student spotlight was a solo performed by Rindt, who sang “No One Else” from “Natasha Pierre and the Great Comet of 1912.”
“I’m very happy and grateful that Mrs. Petersen gave us the opportunity to audition with pieces of our choice; it gave me and others the chance to perform songs we love for an audience,” said Rindt. “I really loved singing my solo, and I appreciate everyone who came to see the show!”
Madrigals then performed “God Help the Outcasts” from “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” and the program closed with Concert Choir and Madrigals singing “Sieze the Day” from “Newsies- The Musical.”
If you enjoy the Burroughs tradition of musical theatre, stay tuned for an announcement soon of next year’s musical to be performed!
