Broadway Night: A New Tradition?

Review

%28From+left%29+Remee+23%2C+Gabrielle+23%2C+Angelina+24%2C+Isabelle+23%2C+and+Sidhdi+23

JIA SHAH '24

(From left) Remee ’23, Gabrielle ’23, Angelina ’24, Isabelle ’23, and Sidhdi ’23

CHETANA BIDESI ‘24

Broadway Night could be described in many ways, but to sum up the experience in one word: it was breathtaking! This event has been waved at us students from the hallway walls, tempting us more and more each day, and each participant has been practicing every day of the week to make it their best performance. For Choir teacher Mr. Josh Lisner, who hosted EHS’s first Broadway Night on February 1 inside the auditorium, it was a chance to show off talent and fundraise for the choir program.

I would like to commend Lisner, along with Mr. Andrew Jaworski, who made the night bright and colorful with the light and sound design. Another appreciation to star pianist, Ms. Pamela Momyet, who amazed the audience with every music piece played that night.

All family members and friends were excited to see their loved ones up on the stage, cheering for them with pride. As soon as the doors opened, everyone rushed in to get the perfect view of all the performances.

 

Choir performing “The West Side Story Medley” during Broadway Night on February 1st. (JIA SHAH ’24)

The night was filled with anger, happiness, heartbreak, love, and joy along with various talents. From the start to the end of the night, the melodies and emotions of each singer brought out the amazement that made the experience worth it.

Solo performances were by Sarah Moore ‘26, Aura Sahadi ‘25, Robyn Nemeth ‘23, Amy Boslet ‘24, Olivia Pellizzon ‘26, Sophia Dimayuga ‘26, Gabrielle Therese Bulahan ‘23, Katie Castles ‘23, Sadya Ahmad ‘23, Gabriela Engholm ‘23, and Kara Labadessa ‘25. These students flaunted their voices, each one with different expressions on stage.

Dimayuga’s performance of “She Used To Be Mine,” by Sara Bareilles, was beautiful because of her expressions and her natural voice. I also loved the song choice because the lyrics sounded relatable to me, along with the way she portrayed her character.

A duet performance by Sahadi and Boslet on “Barbara 2.0,” by Eddie Perfect, was one that is still resonating in my head because of how much it made the audience laugh and forget about our worries. I loved that the duet was a way for the singers to have fun on stage with each other and the audience.

As for the talents present in the auditorium, the night was indeed worth reliving. Each singer displayed their beautiful voices and their expressions throughout their performances, which reflected their emotions: happiness, enthusiasm, rage, envy, and love. In addition to my admiration towards Broadway shows and musicals, I appreciated the portrayal of the utmost depth and emotions through these singers who immersed the audience in the show. This experience can be attributed to the amount of time the students have spent making it an experience.

Not only do singers present their voice for the audience, but also for themselves and for the joy and calmness they achieve when doing something they love. Many singers sometimes transform into their character so much that they actually feel the emotions boiling out of them.

Take for instance, Bulahan, who said that she got emotional during her performance while trying to harness the anger of the character in the song, “I Dreamed A Dream” by Claude-Michel Schönberg, from the play Les Miserables. She explained that singing for her is like another language. The words that she cannot express by talking, she expresses through singing. It makes her feel connected to the audience and communicate with the people who are not able to convey their feelings as easily with words.

The medley presented after the intermission was the most anticipated moment where all the students of the choir sang the “West Side Story Medley.”

Angelina Cangialosi (foreground, at left), and Christian Lee perform their duet. (JIA SHAH ’24)

This performance of the night included short solo performances of Jessica Bangura ‘24, Angelina Cangelosi ‘24, Mayukh Ghosh ‘23, Ashwini Kallavi ‘24, Christian Lee ‘23, and Douglas Sabosik ‘23. This medley involved solo, as well as, group performances with glimpses of dance and a pinch of comedy.

Overall, this night displayed various talents and warmth which I felt while listening to the different songs along with each round of applause for each of the performances. Further, the feeling of family through the parents, grandparents, and children, along with the whole choir family, who were enjoying each other’s accomplishments, was spectacular.

I enjoyed the performance of Broadway musicals, the emotions that the actors and singers portray on stage for the audience, and the amount of time and effort they put into making it the best experience. Once again, this was a night that shall not be forgotten. As their first Broadway Night was a huge success, Edison High might be looking forward to a new tradition in this event.