Get ready to grab your magnifying glass and put on your detective hat, because this year the Stoughton High School band’s Variety Show is a murder mystery! For the past few months, band students have been working hard to put on this year’s show by learning various styles of music and planning every detail. The Variety Show is an annual student-led and run concert with a new theme each year, various skits, and various music. It is the most popular band concert of the year, with many rushing to get tickets before they sell out.
Due to the atypical production style, several student leaders are organizing each committee responsible for its respective aspects of the show. Alex Thiessen (11) is head of the music committee. Andrew Scott (11) leads the script, with props and costumes led by Alley Parks (12). Program design is led by Andy Quam (11), while set construction is co-lead by Morgan Luick (10) and Claire Orn (10). Poster art and publicity is led by Tobie Bluel (10), with Ella Loup (12) acting as liaison between each committee.
“I am the head of props and costume committee […] and my favorite part is getting to riffle through all of the costumes from our theater department [because] we go through every little thing,” Parks said. “Before we perform the Variety Show, we have two rehearsals after school which is the first time Schmidt sees the script. Sometimes, the editing process is wild. Sometimes, there are things that definitely should not have made it as far as it did and are hilarious, but definitely not allowed. Seeing Schmidt react to them is so funny.”
The nighttime tech rehearsals are a fan favorite among the musicians, with Luick and Loup also commenting on their appreciation for the finalization process. Tech rehearsals include running the whole show with the skits, props, set, lights, and music cohesively to test their product before the final show. These rehearsals are where many tweaks and adjustments are made to produce the best show possible.
“For set committee, we are in charge of all of the larger set pieces and construction of them,” Luick said. “My favorite part of the planning process is the rehearsals the week of the show. It is the first time you can really see all of the hard work everyone has put in and everything comes together to form this cohesive show that is put on entirely by the students.”
The students determine the theme of each year’s show, but one thing stays the same regardless of the theme.
“One thing that is consistent among all shows is playing pep songs at the end, along with our school song,” Bluel said.
Pep songs are traditionally performed during the annual fall sports season at SHS. Band students are in attendance at all football games in marching uniform, with an additional special halftime performance at the homecoming game. They also often perform at high school assemblies and the pep rally during homecoming week.
“My favorite part is at the very end. In act three we get in our marching uniforms and play a bunch of pep tunes, and everyone is so exhausted from playing for two hours straight,” Quam said.
From jazz to pop, this show is full of laughs and dedicated musicians. The Variety Show is on May 4, 2024 at 7 p.m., and tickets are available online or at the door. So grab your detective hat, channel your inner Sherlock Holmes, and come support these musicians to see if you can find a clue and solve the murder mystery!
