On Nov. 18 and 19, the Tompkins’ choir performed their annual Sound FX show. This year’s theme was Songs from the Silver Screen, a two hour spectacle commemorating songs from classics, dating back to the 1950s all the way to recent ones from 2015. Performed once a year, this event is one of the most anticipated showcases put on by the choir department.
“This year’s show featured songs from popular, classic movies. In this show, we incorporated several different storylines that revolved around what a lot of people really enjoy doing as a pastime, watching movies. The stories of these characters and the songs featured in the movies they watched all intertwined together to produce our 2016 Sound FX show,” said four year member and senior, Cryselle Cruz.
The program included a variety of songs from classics such as Singing in the Rain (1952), Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961) and The Sound of Music (1965). The students also sang a number of more recent compositions from movies such as Tangled (2010), Mulan (1998) and Ghostbusters (1984). Each song was accompanied with a dance, either as a duet, solo, or group.
“My favorite performance was Footloose, because of the energetic dance. I also liked Colors of the Wind,” said senior Luis Osta.
The annual show required a long amount of preparation and dedication from both the singers, directors and volunteer parents. The hardest task was to come up with an idea that can be played out with storylines and let the whole show flow out smoothly. Rehearsals also demanded a lot from the participants, often requiring them to stay well into the evening practicing.
“We often had five hour Sunday rehearsals and on show week, we wouldn’t go home until 7 p.m. Having the stamina to keep up with the demand of our show and keeping good grades was also pretty difficult,” said Cruz.
The response from the audience is generally positive and encouraging to the performers. For this particular theme, the presence of well-known songs allowed the viewers to fully engage with those on stage and connect with each performance.
“I believe that the audience loved it. The members of Sound FX and I all had several people come up to us, including people we did not know, to congratulate us on our show and tell us how or what they enjoyed. We are still getting some post-show hype from the audience members today,” said Cruz.
However, for many participants of this group, this performance represented their last time on stage as part of Sound FX. These members include seniors Cryselle Cruz, Elizabeth Freeman, Joshua Miller, David Nash, all four year members, as well as seniors Kaylie Canning, Ryan Connor and Amanda D’Pulos. Many seniors will be leaving behind the amazing memories and lifelong friends they have made during their time in the program, all while growing individually alongside those who share the same musical passion as they do.
