Students perform Sound of Musicals
Spectators were able to enjoy a night of song and dance as they watched the Northwest-Shoals Community College Show Choir, Vocal Point, perform songs from various Broadway shows and musicals for the Sound of Musicals Concert Thursday and Monday night at the Lou B. Bevill Center on the Phil Campbell Campus.
Russellville’s Anna Bond said each show theme Vocal Point has is different, with students submitting ideas for different show themes.
“I think I speak for everyone when I say this one has been the most fun,” Bond said.
The show featured “Backstage Romance” from “Moulin Rouge,” “Defying Gravity” from “Wicked,” “She Used to Be Mine” from “Waitress,” “Santa Fe” from “Newsies,” a medley from the “Phantom of the Opera” and three numbers from “The Lion King” – ”Circle of Life,” “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” and “Hakuna Matata.” The show ended with “This Is Me” from “The Greatest Showman.”
Tuscumbia’s Savannah Berryman said the cast was familiar with the majority of songs before rehearsals began, but some songs, such as “Backstage Romance,” quickly turned from songs they were unfamiliar with to new favorites.
Berryman and Bond said their favorite part of the show was the finale performance of “This Is Me,” in which the performers on stage held up words they had previously been labeled before replacing them with words they were proud of.
“It was just the most powerful,” Berryman said. “It had a meaning behind it.”
Along with learning the songs and choreography in a seven-week period, the performers also had to learn to sing and dance while wearing masks.
“It was definitely a challenge,” said Russellville’s McKinley Copeland. “It was tough, but I think it also made us stronger singers because you have to work to sing through these, so when we take these off, it is so much stronger.”
Bond said she is glad Vocal Point is able to showcase that masks do not have to limit someone.
“I love that people see us with these on and can think ‘Wow, they are still able to do that,'” Bond said.
Berryman agreed and said it is nice to know the show encouraged people to do their part to stop the spread.
“It’s more encouraging that if we can do this, then you can do your part to wear a mask,” Berryman said.
The show featured performances from Russellville’s Copeland, Bond, Stephanie Garcia, Lisette Gonzalez and Kaitlin Weeks, Red Bay’s Emma Russell, Tuscumbia’s Berryman and Brandon Hampton, Hamilton’s Anna Kate Warner, Haleyville’s Gabe Engle, Winfield’s Taegan Franks and Talladega’s Charnell Reynolds.
