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homerhorizon.com life & arts
the Homer Horizon | October 4, 2018 | 17
Variety Show adds to spirit of homecoming week at LTHS
Laurie Fanelli
Freelance Reporter
Homecoming week has
no shortage of opportunities
for students to showcase
their school spirit, but this
year, it also afforded them
a chance to showcase their
unique individual talents.
The Variety Show — presented
by the Lockport Theatre
Porter Players — gave
students a chance to step
into the spotlight and share
their talents in the name of
school spirit. Performers
took the stage at the East
Campus auditorium on the
evening of Thursday, Sept.
27, adding even more excitement
to homecoming at
Lockport Township High
School.
Previous editions of the
showcase have been held
annually each February, but
this year, the Porter Players
— LTHS’ drama club
— moved the Variety Show
up in the calendar to coincide
with homecoming. Assistant
theatre director and
English teacher Kennedy
Musich said the drama program
is happy to be included
in the homecoming fun.
“We’re really excited
about the show, and we’re
happy to be a part of the
homecoming festivities,”
Musich said. “It only adds
to the fun and the celebration
of what’s happening at
Lockport during this week.
Homecoming week is all
about celebrating Lockport,
and this is a great way
to celebrate all the diverse
talent that is a part of this
school.”
Senior and vice president
of the Porter Players Olivia
Kuncis agreed that the Variety
Show is a nice addition
to the homecoming events.
“It’s drawing in even
more people,” she said.
“We’ve already had the
powderpuff game and
movie night, and everyone
wants to be a part of all the
activities this week.”
Singers (Monica Angel,
Olivia Minogue, Jade
Fuglsang and many more),
dancers (including Madison
Gontrarz, Jessica Maves,
Alexa Kemp), musicians
(clarinetist Julia Smolinksi,
along with bands Manufactured
Lettuce, Nameless,
etc.) and even orators —
Alex Carberry recited “To
This Day” by Shane Koyczan
— performed during
the Variety Show. The entire
student body was invited to
audition for the showcase,
and the drama club served
as the evening’s emcees,
introducing acts and performing
short, funny skits
between sets.
Porter Players president
Megan Staley explained
that many of the sketches
were inspired by life in high
school.
“My favorite sketch is
‘Bad Homecoming Proposals,’”
she said with a laugh.
“A guy asks a whole bunch
of girls in really corny ways,
and they all decline, unfortunately,
until he finds his
soulmate to take to homecoming.”
The pun-filled sketch
generated big laughs during
the show, as did a skit
about unique occurrences
that pepper day-to-day life
at LTHS. Other notable
performances included the
opening dance number by
Jamaria Bryant, Amaya
O’Neal, Alyaih O’Neal and
Christiana Pickens, as well
as Audiovation — featuring
James Pierce, Eddie
Riley and Levi Bergbower
— performing their original
composition, “Song Number
4.” Mia Vasquez, Alexis
Jade Fuglsang sings “Walk on Water” by Britt Nicole Thursday, Sept. 27, during the
Lockport Township High School Variety Show. Photos by Laurie Fanelli/22nd Century Media
Variety Show emcees (left to right) Mike O’Callaghan, Megan Staley, Olivia Kuncis and
Rachel Hampton perform a skit during the show.
Quemener, Emily Padilla,
Sara Padilla, Nathan Bauer,
Amanda Pollock, Danny
Miller, Kassidy Prebstle
and Aneesa Ortega also
shared their talents during
the show.
Senior Maisie Steele did
double duty during the Variety
Show as one of the emcees
and as a performer.
“I’ve sung in the variety
show every single year,”
Steele said. “It’s one of my
favorite activities. I’m singing
‘No Roots’ by Alice
Merton. I used to do really
sad, slow songs, so this year,
I wanted to do something
that’s pretty fast. I’m going
all out for senior year.”
Along with the onstage
performers, LTHS students
also helped make the Variety
Show a success working
behind the scenes.
“I’ll be making sure all
the sound elements are
where they needs to be, that
mics are working and the
music is ready,” explained
Technical Theatre President
Jimmy DiCaro. “I’ll make
sure everything sounds
great for everyone in the audience.”
Technical Theatre Vice
President Sebastian Lowisz
said working the Variety
Show is fun because each
edition is different, and he
encourages the next generation
of LTHS students to get
involved.
“To those freshmen, if
you love art, building, light,
sound or anything with theater,
this place is for you,”
Lowisz said. “We have a
small little family here.
It’s great, and you meet so
many great people.”
Musich hopes the Variety
Show will continue to
grow as it becomes a homecoming
tradition, and she
encourages even more students
to get involved next
year.
“It’s so much fun to showcase
your talent,” she said.
“You can make so many
friends, and it’s nice to be
a part of a full production.
There are so many people
who come out to support
the performers, especially
because it’s homecoming
week.
“Next year, we hope it
will be even bigger and better.”