Video #5 from Musical Entourage's "Broadway Musical Revue"

Musical Entourage with "Gotta Have Hope", and its quite a bit longer than 30 seconds!

Video #4 from Musical Entourage's "Broadway Musical Revue"

"California Dreaming" with Musical Entourage!

I'm pushing the envelope a bit here - this clip is a little over 30 seconds! Hopefully it won't cause problems.

Video #3 from Musical Entourage's "Broadway Musical Revue"

Jordan Streveler performs "Something's Coming" from "West Side Story".

Again, the clip is limited to around 30 seconds due to uploading issues.

Video #2 from Musical Entourage's "Broadway Musical Revue"

Annessa Reiff's initial solo from "Take Me Or Leave Me" (from "Rent") which she and Missy Nolan performed.

Again, the clip was limited to about 30 seconds due to time to uploading issues.

Video #1 from Musical Entourage's "Broadway Musical Revue"

Levi and Donald Mock performing "Edelweiss" from "The Sound of Music".

Please note that we are keeping our video clips to 30 seconds or less because of the time it takes to upload them at the moment, so for now at least, we are limited to filming just a part of a performance. I hope that you enjoy the clip, even though it isn't the full song.

Musical Entourage's "Broadway Musical Revue" Photos - Set #4

From the final section of the show, Musical Entourage performs its 2009 competition routine.

Musical Entourage's "Broadway Musical Revue" Photos - Set #3

From the top:

1 and 2: The group performs "You Can't Stop The Beat" from "Hairspray".

3: Kristan Brinneman performs "I Will Never Leave You" from "Sideshow".

4: Missy Nolan explains to her groupies what it is to be "The Life of the Party" from "The Wild Party".

First Video Clip From Last Weekend!

This is what I really wanted to be able to get up here!

Friday at Bluffton's "Broadway Musical Revue" and Saturday at the "Parlor City Cabaret" I did some experimenting with a video camera.

We are still developing this, so please don't count on television quality (just yet, anyway). But this clip from the Parlor City Cabaret shows Avi and Kiki Sundling performing some of their work.

Tomorrow, I'm planning to post video clips (and more photos) from the "Broadway Musical Revue".

Musical Entourage's "Broadway Musical Revue" Photos - Set #2

From the top...

1:The group performs "Finale B" from "Rent".

2 and 3: Annessa Reiff and Missy Nolan seem to be having some trouble keeping their boyfriends interest up in "Take Me Or Leave Me", also from "Rent".

4: Jordan Streveler performs "Somethings Coming" from "West Side Story".

5: Levi and Donald Mock perform "Edelweiss" from "The Sound of Music".

More to follow......

Musical Entourage's "Broadway Musical Revue" Photos - Set #1

Musical Entourage's "Broadway Musical Revue" began with a set from the musical "Wicked".

From the top:

1: The group performs "Dancing Through Life" from "Wicked".

2: Hope Gerber performs "Popular", also from "Wicked".

3: Naomi Ifer performs "I Can Do Better Than That" from "The Last Five Years".

4: Luke Buskirk dreams "The Impossible Dream" from "Man From La Mancha".

More photos to follow.......

Norwell Show Choirs Host "Reflections - A Musical Revue"

The Norwell Show Choirs will wrap up their performance season this weekend, when they present the annual “Reflections - a Musical Revue”, on Friday and Saturday evening.

The show is a combination of a review of this past choir season, along with special acts from Broadway Musicals. On Saturday night, this year’s seniors and their parents will be recognized and honored. All three show choirs, the Knight Moves, Knight Stars and Knight Sounds will perform at the event.

Last weekend, high school choir members attended ISSMA competitions at Snider High School in Fort Wayne. The Knight Sounds received a gold rating on their performance and a silver rating on sight reading. The Knight Stars received a gold rating on both performance and sight reading.

Tickets for the “Reflections” show are $5 for adults and $3 for students. They may be purchased from any choir member or at the door on the performance evenings.

Doors will open at 7 p.m., with the shows starting at 7:30 p.m.

Thanks to Norwell Music Boosters for the photo.

Second Set Of Photos From Parlor City Cabaret

From the top, the photos are:

1: Bluffton High School senior Derek Smith performed two of his own compositions.

2 and 3: Ben Smyser is back with more on the guitar.

4: The Grand Finale as the group performs John Mellencamp's "Small Town". From left, Kim Higginbottom, Ben Smyser, Jeff Higginbottom, Derek Smith, and Kiki, Avi and Doug Sundling.

All going well, there will be some video to follow later in the week!

First Photos From The Second "Parlor City Cabaret"

The second Parlor City Cabaret was held Saturday evening (April 25) at "The King's Place" in downtown Bluffton.

The show featured music by Jeff Higginbottom, Tom Cushman, Ben Smyser and Derek Smith, as well as poetry by Doug, Avi and Kiki Sundling, and comedic skits based on Wells County history and also the English language.

Photos, from the top, are:

1: Tom Cushman provided pre-show musical accompaniment, and also showcased his talents on the guitar during the show.

2: Ben Smyser provided two sets of musical entertainment on his guitar, and lead vocals for the show's finale.

3: The cabaret's "Heritage Trail" took the audience back to the early days of Wells County History describing "the way it was!" From left to right, Jeff Higginbottom (musical and special sound effects), Kim Higginbottom (co-presenter and also female speaking roles), Kiki and Avi Sundling (children of early settlers) and Doug Sundling (co-presenter, and male speaking roles)

4:Kiki and Avi Sundling present some of their own written work for the audience.

More photos, and maybe some video, to follow.

Also coming over the next few days.......

......just as soon as I get time to attend to it - (this is turning into one of "those" Mondays!)

Photos (and maybe video) from Saturday's "Parlor City Cabaret" at the King's Place in downtown Bluffton, and also details relating to Norwell Show Choirs' "Spring Show" this weekend.

First pics from Musical Entourage's "Broadway Musical Revue"

Bluffton High School's Musical Entourage presented its "Broadway Musical Revue" Friday and Saturday evenings, and over the coming week, we'll be posting pictures, and maybe also some video (I haven't had a chance yet to see if that turned out) from the Friday evening show.

Musical Entourage have their annual "Spring Show" on Wednesday, May 20. We'll have more details nearer the time.

2nd Parlor City Cabaret To Run Saturday Evening

The second Parlor City Cabaret will be held Saturday evening (April 25) from 6:30 p.m. at "The King's Place" in downtown Bluffton.

The show will feature music by Jeff Higginbottom, Tom Cushman, Ben Smyser and Derek Smith, as well as poetry by Doug Sundling, and comedic skits based on Wells County history and also the English language.

Admission is $5. Purchase five or more tickets and they only cost $4 each.

Oh, and as an experiment, I've included a video from last weekend's rehearsals with this post! Hopefully we can do more of this in future.

Norwell Drumline's "Excellent Adventure" In Dayton, Ohio

DAYTON, OHIO — Norwell’s drumline might not have achieved its goal of a high placing at the WGI World Finals in Dayton, Ohio over the weekend, but the Knights still had plenty to cheer about as 2006 Norwell Graduate, Aaron Barrientos (pictured above with his parents) performed as part of the “Rythm X” group which won the “Independent World” Class title Saturday.

Norwell traveled to Dayton, on April 17 and 18 to participate in their first WGI World Finals, and was the only Indiana drum line competing in the “Scholastic Open” Class - their opposition coming from all over the United States, from California to Boston, Mass.

Norwell was unable to progress to the competition finals on Saturday, but stayed in Dayton to watch the “Independent World” Class Finals, and support Barrientos, who is also a percussion instructor at Norwell. The “Independent World” Class is the highest category of competition at the WGI competitions.

“Rythm X” captured the Independent World Class Championship, scoring higher than any “Independent World” group ever has at this event.

Norwell drum line has now concluded its 2009 competition season, but will resume activities with the “Marching Knights” in the new school year, with marching band competitions scheduled to start in September.

Musical Entourage To Present Broadway Musical Revue

Bluffton High School’s Musical Entourage will be back on stage this (coming) week, presenting a special Broadway Musical Revue Friday and Saturday evenings (April 24 and 25).

The program will include music from The Sound of Music, Rent, Wicked, Hairspray and many more productions, with dinner also served. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. both nights, and dinner will be served from 6 p.m. The performance will begin at approximately 7:15 p.m.

Tickets are $15.00 for dinner and the show, or $10.00 for the show only. They can be purchased from any Bluffton Show Choir member or at the High School office. You may also call 273-7174 or email sandi@onlyinternet.net to purchase tickets.

Thanks to Bluffton Music Boosters for the picture.

"Brush Up Your Shakespeare" Pics - Set #4

Performances from Hamlet and (the finale) McBeth rounded off the show.

The witches scene from McBeth was given a new twist, as Bluffton students D.J.MIller and Brandon Anderson "beat box" to provide the beat for the witches (Liz Alberding and Jessica Butler) as they deliver their lines. The excitment of the show went to McBeth's head, but everyone else emerged unscathed from the performance.

IPFW has a variety of theatrical caps, including one on Shakespeare, over the summer period in which high school students can participate. The full listing is available at www.ipfw.edu/vpa/caa, and further information can be obtained through Maggie Hunter, Director of the Community Arts Academy, at 260-481-6059.

"Brush Up Your Shakespeare" Pics - Set #3

Jessica Butler and Aaron Mann from IPFW set the scene for "A Midsummer Night's Dream" before inviting a large cast of Bluffton High School students on stage to share in the craziness of the play.

"Brush Up Your Shakespeare" Pics - Set #2

Romeo and Juliet!

The IPFW performers explained how in Shakespeare's time, there were no women actors, and all the female roles were played by young boys. In an effort to demonstrate this, they began the famous balcony scene with Liz Alberding playing the male role of Romeo, while Blane Pressler played Juliet, which explains the odd "wig" on his head.

The performers also explained that in Shakespeare's time, there were very few props on stage, with the emphasis being on the spoken words, and not the special effects. To emphasize this point, Bluffton students Joe Wallace and Ryann Runion were drafted into the show to perform the role of the balcony, from which Juliet makes her speech.

Once the background to the scene had been explained, Alberding and Pressler switched roles for a more serious performance of the scene (with Butler and Mann entertaining from behind the backdrop while the switch was being made).

"Brush Up Your Shakespeare" Pics - Set #1

The first set of photos from the IPFW Theatre group visit to Bluffton High School Wednesday morning.

In this phase, the four IPFW performers introduced their audience to the life and times of Shakespeare, and provided some historical context to his plays, and the way they were performed.

Jessica Butler (alone in the top photo) introduced the show with Liz Alberding the other female), Blane Pressler (the guy with glasses) and Aaron Mann (the guy without glasses) joined in as the show went along.