Chorus has begun preparations for this year’s Broadway Desserts concert.
The annual event consists of various chorus students performing a Broadway song as either solo or group acts as well as all the choirs performing a Broadway song, with a collaborative closing number between everyone.
Auditions for Broadway Desserts were held the first week of December and students have been working hard since returning from winter break.
According to Patrick Vaughn, the choir director, choir students auditioning for Broadway Desserts had to perform a Broadway musical or general musical theater number of their choice.
Despite being the choir teacher, however, Vaughn wasn’t the only one in the room judging the performances. Karli Eddinger, chorus teacher at Holmes Middle School, and accompanist Liza Gibbs Smith joined in to judge the performances, and help Vaughn decide who would perform at the concert.
When choosing the performances, the judges liked to strike a balance in the show that goes from performing comedic songs to love ballads.
“We like to be eclectic and do a lot of different styles of music,” Vaughn said.
Along with that, he also chooses to not have a specific theme for Broadway Desserts, which allows the students more control in their performance.
“I want to give the kids as much flexibility as possible,” Vaughn said. “This is their show. I don’t direct anything for it as far as directing choirs. I produce the show and am calling all the cues. My job is really behind the scenes at this concert, which is different than any other concert in the year because for any other concerts I’m in the front conducting. But this one is the kids’ show, I just help.”
With the concert being unlike any other and completely student-led, it is a guarantee that with the new talent coming in every year and students gaining more music experience as time goes by, each Broadway Desserts concert will be different than the last.
“Every year is different. Every year, it’s very popular Every year, it’s very good. Every year, the music is great, but every year it seems to get a little bit better than the year before,” Vaughn said. “I think that’s because, with each year that I am here, the kids get more comfortable with me, they get more comfortable with each other, and they can be more creative and create better music.”
The show, however, doesn’t just serve as a way for choir students to show their talent but also as a way for the students to branch out and be exposed to a different style of music and performing, as well as interact with different students from the same program.
“I think it’s going to be a really good year for the Broadway Desserts,” freshman Dyontae Jackson, who will be performing with men’s chorale, said. “It’s a really fun time to interact with some people who are in chorus that you might not know, or any other person who is on Broadway Desserts that you don’t talk to in a normal day.”
Broadway Desserts will run from Friday, January 31 to Saturday, February 1 at 7 p.m. in the auditorium.
Tickets will be sold by chorus students in advance for 10 dollars and at the door for 15 dollars. Any questions should be directed to Room 329.