Maine West High School is excited to present their annual variety show, West’s Got Talent, on Thursday, November 13 and Friday, November 14 at 7 p.m. in the Maine West auditorium. Tickets are $7 for students and $10 for adults. Attendees can purchase tickets online at http://mwfinearts.ludus.com or at the door.
Guests will experience an amazing array of talents during the show, including guitar solos, cultural and lyrical dances, vocal acts and Maine West’s very own orchestra pit. David Harmon, one of this year’s Co-Directors, shares that students have been rehearsing since mid-September to perfect their individual and group acts for the stage.
“The pit orchestra has taken on the impressive task of learning five songs in just a handful of weeks of after school rehearsals,” says Jennifer Mullen, Maine West Fine Arts Department Chair and Pit Orchestra Director. “The challenge hasn’t just been the music itself, but coming together as a group to blend, listen and perform as one cohesive ensemble in a short time. I’m so proud of their teamwork and commitment to making this performance shine.”
“My favorite thing about working with students on West’s Got Talent has been getting to work with students one on one on music they are extremely passionate about,” says Vocal Director, Stephanie Herrera. “Seeing them in a context outside of their regular ensembles has also given me an opportunity to get to know them better and even meet new students. It has been an absolute blast getting to work with the cast.”
Featuring more than 30 acts, this year’s show is one of the largest in recent memory. Frances Dela Cruz, 12th grade, appreciates the chance to feature her vocal and songwriting talents as she has done for the past three years:
“From 9th grade to 12th grade, I have grown my confidence by being on stage and taking a risk,” explains Dela Cruz. “I am eager to share another piece of original music and express myself creatively in a way that I don’t get to do on a daily basis at Maine West.”
Another exciting aspect of this year’s lineup is the wide variety of cultural acts featured on the Maine West stage.
“We want West’s Got Talent to be an all-school event that features all of our students; not just the actors and musicians that are used to being onstage,” explains Harmon. “West is an inclusive community with a rich diversity of cultures and traditions and we want to make sure our talent show reflects that.”
Indian dance group, Desi Dhamaka, and a traditional Filipino dance duet are among several cultural performances to be featured this year.
When asked about how it feels to feature their cultural dance on the Maine West stage, Jacob Perez, 9th grade, says: “It is an honor to share my roots and the recognition of the rich Filipino heritage that [spans across] thousands of islands in the Philippines.”