A Recap of Limelight X

Written by: Isla Leavy and Gemma Steele

Recently, students, staff, and parents at KCI have had the opportunity to see a fully  student-run show that the school  drama department has been working on tirelessly for not only the last couple of months, but even last June, as the producers put together an outline of what the show might look like. The Limelight crew worked before school, during breaks, and after school to create this show. Leading up to the performance, they even held nine hour rehearsals on the weekend.  No matter which night Raiders attended, the show  was filled with laughter and talent. Limelight was a mix of drama, dance, and music that  the audience entertained for hours. This year’s production felt even more special to both the cast and audiences as it was the tenth Limelight KCI has put together.  

The night started off with a clever skit about the invention of Limelight, featuring a mad scientist so close to a breakthrough.  The skit then transitioned into a full-cast lively dance and musical performance to the song “Footloose”.

Other dance performances we saw throughout the night traversed various styles and emotions. “Lover, You Should've Come Over” was a contemporary piece full of emotion. The simple white dresses and elegant dance made for a beautiful performance. “Thank you, Beyoncé” and the “Brat” medley were both upbeat hip hop pieces. The enthusiastic dancers complimented the choreography to create an immersive experience. “Thank you, Beyoncé” was, evidently, received very well by a crowd of students. To begin the second half of the show, the male dance performance was set to “Bye Bye Bye,” a song recently re-popularized by the newest Deadpool film. This dance was one of the most well-received of the night, and got arguably the loudest cheer from the crowd. Limelight X was filled to the brim with incredibly talented and passionate dancers, who put on show-stopping performances. 

Another huge piece of Limelight was the music. Limelight was filled with skilled musicians and vocalists, who awed everyone in the audience with their captivating abilities. Both the opening act of “Footloose,” and the performance of Sabrina Carpenter’s “Please Please Please,” had both incredible singers, band, and dancing. The “Iris” performance was a blend of three singers and the band. “Carry on Wayward” and “The Scientist” were both a combination of skilled voices and musicians. “Goddess" was a beautiful duet sung to a backing track. Olivia Rodrigo’s “Get Him Back” was a passionate and enthusiastic piece, followed by the “Directors Duet” which showcased even more talent. And near the end of the show, was the “Fallout Boy Medley,” a mix of popular Fallout Boy songs.

Along with  the “Invention of Limelight” skit, the Drama Cast performed many other cleverly-constructed skits that had the audience laughing in their seats, such as the two-part skit about a dead president, and his perplexing plans for the country.  Others included “Love Is Bad For Business,” a comical story about a divorce lawyer teaching his daughter how to break up perfectly happy couples for the business, “Kindergarten Reunion”, a skit that captured the chaotic result of a kindergarten class reuniting as adults, and “The Search Is Afoot,” a story with a ridiculous twist about a dad and his daughters on the lookout for bigfoot. Audience reactions proved that all of the scripts were strongly written, and that the cast delivered perfectly-timed punchlines that added to the already existing humour in the concepts.

The show went out with a bang, ending with a full cast performance called “You Can’t Stop The Show.”  This final act to “You Can’t Stop The Beat” from the musical “Hairspray" included a combination of dancing, singing, and music from the band.

With so many moving parts, Limelight producers Alina Vuorinen and Zane McKinnon explained that there were some small behind-the-scenes challenges. Zane mentioned that “there was a problem with the speakers in the Aud a week or two before the show.”  But, of course, they did not let that stop them, and decided instead to rent speakers for the show nights. Alina also commented that “with the size of the opening and closing act, because it’s full cast, it’s difficult to coordinate everyone.”  Despite these difficulties, the Limelight crew continued to work hard, and the result was a coordinated show performed by many talented people.

As well as delivering a showstopping performance, the Limelight crew took the time at intermission to personally collect and raise money for the Grand River Hospital NICU and future KCI Drama productions.  On the second and final show night, they promised that if they raised more money than the previous night, all of the directors would eat a slice of lime, on stage, “rind and all.”  They ended up raising an impressive $4539 between the two shows, which will be split evenly between KCI Drama and the NICU.The directors, staying true to their word, took to the stage and ate their limes. Rind and all.

When asked about why the Drama program would be a great thing to try out if student audience members thought it would be enjoyable, Alina Vuorinen replied, “It’s such a great way to get involved with the arts at KCI; you meet your people.”  She talked about how, by joining Drama in grade nine, she met people who also loved the class and were passionate about the same things as her: “It’s such a wonderful way to meet new people”

On behalf of all attendees, thank you to all the amazing students that put in the work to make this incredible performance come to life. Limelight X was truly a night that we will be remembered by everyone who attended.