The lights came up, the auditorium was crowded with an eager audience, and the excitement for another performance ran among every student onstage in the auditorium. This is what the performing arts students of Davie High School faced in the final weeks of October and the first week of November. 

The band, chorus, and theater classes all worked hard to put together a show worth remembering for their respective crowds and are now working hard on winter performances to blow away their audiences once again.

The Davie Chorus began the few weeks of performances with a show-stopping singing display. The Concert Choir and Cantare classes joined together as one for their songs, and the Vocal Ensemble sang their selections as well. Aiden Davis, Andy Davis, and Sara Martinez were all soloists who were featured in the Showcase portion of the concert. Under the direction of chorus teacher Brittany Darst, the chorus students worked diligently to bring a wonderful night of vocal entertainment to the audience in attendance.

The Davie High Band concert was on October 19th, and in addition to their performance, the band also recognized the Marching Band seniors before the Wind Ensemble performance. 

All three of the band classes played the music they had prepared throughout the first half of the semester. The Concert Band, Symphonic Band, and Wind Ensemble made incredible progress in their abilities and grew a lot in the first half of the semester under the guidance of band director Matthew Brusseau. Not only did this night mean a great deal to the seniors, it was the first exposure that freshmen new to the ensembles had to participating in high school band. It was a momentous night for all band members involved.

The Davie Players had two productions that were first taken to competition and then performed for the school. Mockingbird (based on the novel by Kathryn Erskine) and Einstein is a Dummy were the two selections that were directed by theater teacher Chad Edwards. The shows were taken to the North Carolina Theater Conference on October 28th and performed competitively. While neither play was chosen to move on to the state level, the progress that the students made was immense. Both productions earned recognition from judges, and stage manager Hannah Lynch and actors Charish Griffin and Bonnie Jo Taylor were recognized for their respective abilities.

The school performances took place on November 2nd and November 4th and were well received by audiences. The seniors were recognized on November 4th at the conclusion of the performance, a moving moment for all in the two casts.

Some of the students featured in these performances were involved in multiple performing arts classes. Myka Smith, a junior percussionist in the Wind Ensemble and a member of the Davie Players, gave the Weekly Talon a look into what it was like preparing for her time in the spotlight. 

“There have been rough patches while [I was] making preparations, but I am so grateful for them,” Smith says. “I’ve been pushed past what I used to think was my limit in the best way possible.” 

Smith attributes her success to those around her. Her love for both the groups she performs with and performing itself has made her time onstage special. 

“My peers, along with my teachers, have really helped shape me into who I am today, and I could not ask for a better high school experience,” Smith says. “The band and the Davie Players are like a second family to me.” 

Once the fall performances were over, the performing arts students began working on their winter performances. Just like their prior material, they are currently working hard to provide outstanding nights of entertainment for their audiences and would love to see the seats in the auditorium full of eager listeners.

The next chorus concert will take place on Tuesday, December 12th, and will feature the different vocal groups with holiday selections as well as masterpieces. The Davie High Bands will have their next performances on Tuesday, December 19th, featuring all of the bands with their holiday-themed music. The final winter performances by the Davie Players will occur on January 11th and 12th in the evening and feature selections of scenes that are directed by current seniors. Please consider supporting the students in their passions and attending these performances!