The Variety Show revival
March 10, 2023
The famous “Villa De La Vina,” the well-known mansion on the Bachelor, relocated to Fallston High School last Friday night, for what may have been the most dramatic season yet. With five hosts, a 17-member tech-crew, two advisers, and 18 acts, the annual Variety Show retuned with a brand-new theme of “The Bachelor: Fallston Edition.”
The show came back with a bang – and made a full recovery from covid with record-high attendance. In just one night, there were 18 epic acts, double the number of performances from last year. Despite not selling any tickets at the door, the NHS nearly sold out the auditorium, only 26 tickets shy of a full sell-out. As Ms. Majewski put it, “We feel amazing about [the revival]! [We are] truly grateful the school community was once again able to gather and experience what always winds up being one of the best nights of the year.”
Keeping up with tradition, each of the acts was framed by a continuous skit, which told the story of Jack P., NHS President, finding his prom date. Jack wasn’t without help, though, as he was joined by NHS Secretary, Macy Budke who played the host, Christina Harrison; NHS Vice President Kaylee Mills and NHS Treasurer Brynn Seergae who were Jack’s final two love interests; and NHS Historian, Bryce Brown, who played the cameraman (and after an unfortunate gust of wind, Jack’s hype man).
Macy Budke says, “We thought of the theme in Mrs. Price’s AP Lang class last year. We were inspired since Jack was running unopposed for the president position and all the other positions were mostly being run for by girls. We thought that people would be able to relate to and laugh at The Bachelor.”
It may feel scary to get up on stage and perform, but now that the show has officially been revived, it is clear to see how welcoming the audience is. The crowd goes insane for every act or small moment in the skits; the crowd is so supportive. Ms. Price even says, “If students are debating whether they should audition, I hope attending this show took away any doubts they may have. You are going to get a warm reception and thunderous applause. I think this show is really one of the most inclusive things Fallston has to offer. The whole night is just a beautiful coming-together of all different groups of people.”
The Show
The show opened with a brief trailer depicting the Bachelor contestants and iconic moments that would later unfold during the show. Immediately after was an instrumental performance of “Crazy Train” by Ozzy Osbourne played by a band called Scum Line, which consisted of Tyler Cigarski (12th) on drums, Julian Sopp (10th) on bass guitar, and Krystian Lisiewski (10th) on electric guitar.
Their performance was followed by Addie Dougherty (11th), who had a graceful solo singing “From the Ground Up” by Dan and Shay and was followed by an electric dance routine, featuring Camryn Barrett (11th), Elise Buckler (11th), Harper Canatella (11th), Grace Daly (11th), Sarah Farally (10th), Sydney Grafton (10th), Laurel Haun (11th), Claire Kellner (11th), Ava Lambros (11th), Kyleigh O’Mailey (11th), Abby Richard (11th) and Campbell Wheeler (11th).
Then came Noah Walter (11th) who played an original arrangement on the piano that took everyone’s breath away. As the audience regained the air in their lungs, the first rose ceremony of the night took place. Unfortunately, six girls were eliminated as Jack P. continued on his journey to find his boo. It was hard to watch the girls get rejected, but thankfully two seniors stepped up to make us all laugh. Lucas Hurlburt (12th) & Jake Siemsen (12th) took the stage to perform their take on a famous Jimmy Fallon Moment – thank-you notes – but the affair ended in a surprise lightsaber battle.
If nothing else proves the show’s fame and incredible revival, then the involvement from underclassmen will. Mac Fisher (9th) played a guitar medley with some memorable rock songs and even showed off some of his skills by playing the guitar behind his head. Cece Campbell (12th) and Lex Courtney (10th) came next with an upbeat duet from City of Angels. They sang “You’re Nothing Without Me” and had such a fun stage presence. Continuing with resident Fallston actors, Eli Marini (12th) came next. He sang “Friend Like Me” from Aladdin which the audience went wild for!
Although the show was filled with its fair share of iconic moments, nothing could beat the comeback of the fan-favorite event that is the teacher dance. This event was choreographed by three student volunteers who put in countless hours. Lindsey Dettloff (11th), Raley Elliott (11th), and Chloe McCarthy (11th) helped make the dance so incredible. Since the last teacher dance was a few years ago, not many people were expecting it and when it came, it left everyone wanting more, especially since the intermission was directly after.
Once the audience returned to their seats, the screen rolled back down to replay what went down prior to the teacher dance. Hannah Richard was still reeling from being rejected by Jack P. The crowd watched her break down but suddenly she was interrupted by a Burger King commercial, just like real TV. After the brief break, some teachers returned to the stage, but this time on screen. Morgan Bolesta (12th) and Gabby Zebron (12th) brought some of the teachers back on the stage with a wonderfully made PowerPoint showcasing Fallston’s Favorites doing karaoke to a song of their choice. Next came a band titled Syrinx which included Nate Hawk (11th) on drums and Zack Patton (10th) on guitar playing “Glycerine” by Bush. “The Variety show is a great first performance and a great way to put yourself out there. Just go for it!” says Zack Patton.
After Syrinx’s first Variety Show appearance came second-year returnee Drew Yelton (12th) who sang “Dream On” by Aerosmith, which the crowd enjoyed. Afterwards, Celia Gizinski (11th) took the stage and captivated the audience with a solo dance performance. But after her there was something never seen before – something that truly put the variety in the show. The National Throwing League made their Fallston debut, featuring an all-junior ensemble with two hosts, two contestants, and two teams. Jacob MacMillan and Joey Bolesta were the hosts; Brody Fitzkee and Nate Decker were the contestants; and Alex Arno, Matthew DiCasagrande, Owen Karantonis, Chris King, Mikey Lembach, and Max Rueckert made up the teams. To say the least, it was a wildly entertaining performance.
Claire Dunn (10th) came after their comedic act, returning for the second consecutive year. This time she played “Prelude” by Bach on her Viola. Her confidence just makes her talent that much clearer. After her came a powerful duo: Fin Jourdan and Natalie Taccone. Together they sang a cover of Adele’s “Chasing Pavements.” It was beautifully choreographed and had the pair interacting in such small but impactful ways. Singing was a popular event this year as they were followed by yet another duo, Morgan Bolesta (12th) and Jesse Kilian (11th), who performed a beautiful rendition of “Shallow” by Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga. Morgan says, “I just hope people stay involved and keep the great themes rolling. I fully expect to see Jesse on stage next year and can’t wait to come back and watch.”
Last but certainly not least, was the long-awaited return of the senior dance. Thanks to Hannah Richard (12th), Macy Budke (12th), and Ms. J. Cummings, the dance came together, and it was spectacular! The song selection was nostalgic, the dances were trendy and fun to watch, and the energy was oozing out of the class of 2023.
What the Variety show means to the community
The Variety Show meant a lot more to the class of 2023, as they were the freshmen watching in the audience the last time the variety show was as big – before it lost its momentum. This group of NHS officers and seniors worked hard to get the show back to its former glory. Ms. Price says, “I attribute all the success to them. They brainstormed this theme almost a year ago and started writing the script and filming the videos early. This group was so focused on bringing the show back to its former glory, and they put in the work to make that happen, and it shows. I’m so proud of them.”
Jack Price, NHS president, says, “I’ve been coming to this show since I was little, and I have loved it every time. So, I’m glad to finally be a part of it and restore it to what it used to be.” This variety show was a unique experience for everyone involved this year, but especially the Price Family. Ms. Price says, “It was pretty surreal to think back to the many years that he watched as a little boy from up in the balcony and contrast that with the experience of seeing him and his friends, whom I’ve also known and been close with for years, up on stage. It was really heartwarming and something I’ll treasure forever.”
The Variety Show cannot happen without support from the FHS community, the fabulous tech crew, and the dedication of the NHS. But above all else, the Variety Show can’t exist without the people who are willing to get on stage and show off something fun, entertaining, or cool. If you are nervous about going for it next year, just try it! There is no better place to try something as the audience is so loving.
In the future, “I just hope that the variety show continues the revival trend, and I hope they sell more tickets than us. My advice would be to start thinking of ideas this year and start writing the script earlier than you think. Being prepared makes it so much easier,” says Jack Price.
Now that it’s back, “I hope students now have a better understanding of what the variety show is and what it means to Fallston. For the hosts next year, don’t be worried about what everyone will think and have fun,” says Kaylee Mills.
