As the audience members enter the grand hall, they are guided through stage doors and up onto the stage. It is here that they are shown to a table that will be their home for the next few hours. A waiter serves them delectable desserts and before long, the lights begin to dim. As the room quiets down, a large group of performers enter the stage from both sides and disperse among the many tables. Soon, they have burst into a song from the Broadway production Gypsy titled “Everything’s Comin’ up Roses.”
But this is not Broadway, and these are not professional musicians. These are the students of AHS putting on a Broadway Desserts performance organized and rehearsed over the last two weeks.
This past weekend, members of the AHS Chorus Department staged three performances of their long-running production: a matinee and evening performance on Sunday and another show on Monday night.
But it was not just “show up and sing” for these students. First, they had to audition and be awarded a spot by Choral Director Carleen Dixon. Only about half of the acts that auditioned made the show and once they were in, they had to do even more practicing to get ready for the many rehearsals and performances held this past week.
“The people who are in it are dedicated; they have to audition and they spend hours working on their piece,” said junior Zeni Saife-Selassie, who herself performed in a total of six numbers including the opening and closing songs.
A total of forty musical numbers were performed, including an opening and closing song performed by everyone involved in the production. Students were then allowed to sing songs either by themselves or in a group of up to five people. Each chorus group, Annandale Singers, Men’s Chorale, Women’s Ensemble, and the Girl’s Chamber Ensemble, also participated in the event. Furthermore, two groups from both Poe and Holmes Middle Schools sang in the Sunday matinee.
During rehearsals, Dixon had positive feelings concerning the upcoming performance. “I think it’s going to be a great show,” she said. “Every year has its strengths and good members and I think this year’s performance is going to be as great as all the others.”
She was not disappointed. Each of the forty numbers brought something different to the stage and added to the variety both she and her assistant directors, Tyler Herman and AHS graduate Alaina Talley, had hoped to create.
Dixon, who started the Broadway Desserts program in 1996, has brought it to its current height. Originally it was held in the school cafeteria, but today, it is held at George Mason’s Center for the Arts.
“I love watching the excitement they have when they’re performing. The way they all work together and support each other,” replied Dixon when questioned about her favorite part of the event.
Not only was the show enjoyable for spectators and performers alike, but it was also the main chorus fundraiser of the year.
“It’s actually a really fun way to raise money because you get to perform and do songs you normally wouldn’t be able to do in chorus class,” said senior Danny DeVera, this year’s student director who participated in a total of eight songs himself.
After a short intermission in between acts, the performance was on its way again. And before long, everyone returned to the stage to sing “Lullaby of Broadway” from the musical 42nd Street.
After a last round of applause for the entire cast and crew and one final bite of dessert, everyone was on their way. But the question on their minds was not if the performance was good, it was which number they liked the best.
