Lights, Camera, and Acalanes Talent
By Audrey Parkin and Donovan McGrath, Online Editor and Business and Community Outreach Team Member
// As the Performing Arts Center (PAC) lights dimmed, a hush fell across the crowd and everyone’s attention narrowed to the stage. Suddenly, senior duo Cody Casey and Macie Rainey burst onto the stage and enthusiastically introduced the acts.
Talented Acalanes students took to the stage on April 18 for the annual Acalanes Talent Show. Various clubs and Leadership organized the event to highlight student’s unique skills.
“I originally signed up because I was voted most likely to be a talk show host for senior superlatives. I thought it would be kind of funny and similar to what I was voted for so I decided to give the people what they wanted,” senior and co-host Macie Rainey said.
The talent show provided an opportunity for students to display their hidden hobbies and abilities to the community as well as step out of their comfort zone.
“It’s really cool to see the unique talents of the kids that roam the halls and to see people that I would have never spoken to having unique talents or being talented in music or comedy or anything. It’s cool to see people express themselves in the things they like to do,” sophomore and participant Alvera Bamorya said.
The talent show not only served as an entertaining event, but it also helped raise money for the Students for Advancement in Global Education (SAGE) club and the Community Outreach and Improvement club. These donations went towards the Trust in Education fund and the Light the Night Foundation.
“I know the [SAGE club and Community Outreach and Improvement club] do a lot of wonderful work to help people. I would love to work with them more in the future and I was really happy that this talent show had a cause to get behind. It always feels nice when you’re performing and doing it for a good cause,” senior and co-host Cody Casey said.
In addition, the talent show helped bring the Acalanes student body closer together with entertaining acts while simultaneously giving back to the community.
“I decided to attend the talent show to support my peers and friends. I was also there to support the SAGE Club and the Trust in Education fund,” sophomore Brooke Rardin said.
While the show had numerous acts, certain performances really stuck with those in the audience, primarily frosh Remi Jalil’s yo-yo tricks act.
“My favorite act was the yo-yo act because it’s a talent that is unique and doesn’t get to showcase very often. It was also really cool that he was able to teach someone right on the spot,” sophomore Lauren Anderson said.
The talent show provided an outlet for students in the performing arts to showcase their passions as well as a platform for people to perform their unique abilities in front of a crowd.
“I’m really hoping that [more students want to participate in the future], so we’ll have more acts that are just random people doing impressions, drawing circles, doing yo-yo tricks, stuff like that,” Casey said.
From musical performances to staged promposals, the talent show is an event where many audience members can find fun and entertainment while participants can shine.
“The talent show is a chance for performers and for anyone else who thinks they have something they want to show off. Maybe if someone has a song that they have always wanted to sing in front of an audience, they can,” Casey said, “There is no limitation. I think it’s important to glorify and celebrate the people at Acalanes who want to show themselves to the world.”
