McCall Talent Show: Behind The Scenes

Introduction

On June 13th, 2024, McCall had a talent show! It was directed by Ms. Jackson and Ms. Johnson. Many people got to enjoy that show from the audience. A few even got to experience being in the show. I, myself, participated in this cool opportunity, and had an amazing and interesting experience. 

Auditions

On May 15th, my friend and I entered the auditorium for our auditions. The room was surprisingly empty, with only about twenty kids there to perform. Also, most of those students were sixth graders. Despite this small number of people, the audition still took almost an hour! There was a nice, welcoming atmosphere, and everybody wanted to see their peers perform. By the end, each student was happy and excited.

Waiting

Nearly a month went by, with little correspondence between the directors and the participants. Occasionally, emails would be sent regarding poster-making, the set list, and such. During school, my friends and I bubbled with chatter about the event. A great deal of the students participating were actually girls I knew! Meanwhile, I worked on my own act at home. My piano and voice teachers guided me through learning the song. About halfway through the month, I even performed it at a local open mic! This performance went well, giving me confidence as show night neared.

The Dress Rehearsal

Finally, it was time for our dress rehearsal. On June 12th, almost everybody participating came to the auditorium to practice and work through little kinks. The rehearsal was fairly successful, with few performance mistakes. Those were expected, anyways. Everybody was quite nervous for the show! Still, it ran about half an hour longer than expected, since there were many technical issues deal with.

The Show

At 5:28 p.m., I arrived for the show's sound check. Other performers trickled to the school's door too, waiting. The doors technically opened at 5:30. Everybody was dressed nicely, and scurried around with excitement, greeting each other. One group of kids, the show's only band, was inside before the rest of the cast. They had an extra complicated sound setup, and therefor needed to rehearse more. 

By 6:00, everybody was in the backstage hallway. We peeked at the crowd that had gathered in front of the auditorium. Anticipation made the air buzz,. Still, I felt like none of this was real. So many people were going to watch this show!

As the show started, cast members gathered by the backstage to hear their friends. Although many lyric flubs happened, it was a wonderful experience. I could here their voices echoing through the narrow backstage hallway. We snacked, smiled, and worried together. By the end, everybody was sad that the adventure was over. Most of us cannot wait for next year's!