From April 10-11, the Annual PHS Variety Show, “Mic Drop,” was held in the auditorium, featuring notable performances of singing, dancing and even karate.
“Variety Show has always given me a place to share my music with my community,” Senior Anika Tsau said. “Writing songs has always been something I’m passionate about, and getting the chance to play them onstage for people means a lot to me.”
The students in the show were given the chance to show off their talents that are not always represented in a typical fine arts performance. Many students who participate are not a part of the music program at Palatine High School, but they all bring individual talents to the environment.
The 30 acts in the show met the week of the performance in order to put everything together, but most groups had been rehearsing separately for weeks to months in advance.
“I liked the energy from the crowd when performing,” Senior Tyler Schiavone said.
The auditorium was crowded with students and other supporters for both nights of the show, and it all culminated with a performance of “Mr. Brightside” by The Killers, performed by a group of students with other acts in the show.
Alongside the individual student acts, many groups got together to perform with their friends, forming bands and dance groups. The students have a lot of freedom in the style of performance that they put on.
For the first time in V-Show history, an act from the tech crew was featured. They programmed a light show to accompany a music medley from the “How to Train Your Dragon” film franchise.
“Throughout the year, although we do a lot of work for a bunch of shows, we never get to truly go all out and make really crazy looks, so this was a great opportunity to explore the possibilities of what we can do with our lights,” Junior Charlie Bourgeois said.
Many of the acts were also student accompanied, so if vocalists needed piano, guitar or bass to go alongside their act, another student could step in to fill that role.
Overall, the Variety Show offered an opportunity to showcase their talents and explore the diversity of Palatine High School.
