Singing, laughing, and instrument playing rang throughout the Mission City Center for Performing Arts on January 27th. Hosted by the senior council, Wilcox’s second annual talent show certainly showcased some of its students’ finest talents. With thirteen unique acts, this show was a great way to kick off the Wilcox Weekend.

As a performer, preparation was easy. I had performed in the talent showcase last year with both my bands, 22 Eastridge and Lifeline, which I did this year as well. I spent my winter break at my friends’ houses; first trying to figure out a song to play, and then continually practicing those songs as a band. Of course, group rehearsals always end up going astray; we end up talking about life or playing different songs after getting bored of looping the same song ten times. 22 Eastridge performed “Tighten Up” by The Black Keys, which required me to learn a solo riff that pops up throughout the song. Being an avid guitarist, I found no trouble in learning these riffs and spent an entire two weeks annoying my family by practicing this song for an hour almost every day. As for Lifeline, I had a more difficult time trying to remember harmonies and playing guitar for our song, “I Will Wait for You” by Mumford and Sons. Junior Alyssa Riley, our lead singer, and I spent a majority of the performance evening practicing our harmonies in the theater’s green room to get it just right for the audience.

Show day arrived quickly. The day before the show, a rehearsal was set for sound checks and technical organization. Some of us jammed on our guitars during breaks, others did homework. The next day, the performers had a dress rehearsal for some final touches before show time. Soon enough, students, family members, and friends filed into the house as performers backstage changed and did their hair and makeup and Wilcox Stage Company’s technical crew bustled about, ushering the upcoming acts backstage.

One of the most memorable acts was senior Kaeli Kundich’s acoustic rendition of “House of the Rising Sun” by The Animals, the first song she learned on guitar. Her soulful voice was unique and soothing, and it surprised me to discover that the talent showcase was her first performance. Having never performed in front of an audience before, Kundich was nervous at first, but quickly warmed up to the supportive audience once she was onstage. “[My performance] was super fun and I had a blast being able to make people smile with music,” Kundich explained. “It’s what I love to do. But now instead of just making my mom smile, I was able to make two hundred people smile.”

The most memorable moment of the show for me was the most unplanned. I walked onstage with Lifeline, ready to perform our song, but the crew had trouble helping our drummer, Rebecca Strong, set up her drum set. The silence was jarring in the theater and I could feel my face turning red. Being an actor, being onstage is very natural for me and moments like this called for improvisation. I immediately shouted the first joke that came to mind: how do you make an octopus laugh? Give it ten-tickles! The audience erupted into laughter and I continued on with my mini joke telling session as the crew finished setting up. Although it made me a bit more nervous since I reminded myself that people were watching us, I had a blast just playing with my friends and having fun.

Senior Samia Abbasi enjoyed 22 Eastridge the most. “I liked the performance, especially Benicia Chiang’s melodica solo. It is amazing to hear and see the talent at Wilcox.”

The emcees, Vincent Le and Zahid Anjum, wrapped up the night with a hilarious performance of “Barbie Girl.” Most audience members, my mother included, thought it was a great way to end the show. Curtains closed and stage lights out, the show was finally over. The showcase was a great way to exhibit student’s passions and talents. Special thanks to senior council and Wilcox Stage Company for organizing this event.