Dazzling stage lights shine, children sing in unison at the tops of their lungs, and tiny show hosts romp about on stage, getting the crowd hyped up for the next act.
These are just a few defining characteristics of Fox Elementary School’s Foxtravaganza.
From April 1 through April 2, many Fox Elementary students participated in Fox’s annual variety show, Foxtravaganza, at the Carlmont Performing Arts Center. This year, the show’s theme was “Fox’s Got Talent.”
Generally, Foxtravaganza is comprised of several components including a chorus, emcees, who announce and do skits between acts, small group acts, and a boys and a girls act for each grade (excluding kindergarteners, who perform their own mixed act, and fifth-graders, who perform a mixed finale as well as the gender-specific acts).
This year, a new component was added to the show.
Videos of Fox students showcasing their various talents were played on the projector accompanied by upbeat background music. Some Fox students found the videos to be a new, unexpected experience.
Fifth-grader Joshua Lin said, “I thought the videos were new and kind of strange. They were not what I’m used to.”
Throughout the event, many enjoyed the enthusiasm shown by the new principal, Mike Pappas.
Lin said, “I liked Mr. Pappas’ guitar act. It’s been a while since the principal has done something on stage.”
Pappas performed his own composition, “The Ride,” on stage, accompanied by guitar.
During Pappas’ performance as well as other parts of the show, the lighting and sound coordination was different compared to previous years because it was manned for the first time by Carlmont Technical Theater Association (CTTA).
Carrie Welter, a junior who is a member of CTTA and a Fox alumna, said, “There were six CTTA crew members helping with this show and they all worked really hard to make it special for the kids.”
Many of the CTTA members who took part in the production believe Foxtravaganza holds an exciting energy for both the audience and the performers.
“The show still had the energy that I remember from performing, and the kids had fun. So, I think it was a good show,” said Welter.
Edit: An earlier draft gave an unintentional negative view of the event and has been updated to present a more balanced and informational version.
