Aragon students performed in the 19th annual Aragon Talent Show on May 9 in front of parents, friends and community members.
Drama director Shane Smuin, who has hosted the talent show for nine years now, says, “The thing that’s really fun about it is that it’s a theater event with students that not necessarily normally participate in theater stuff, so it’s nice to see fresh faces.”
The purpose of the talent show is to raise funds for scholarships. “The money raised from tickets and concessions go towards scholarships for graduating seniors that are going on to do any kind of performing arts,” says Smuin.
The show was hosted by the Aragon Improv Team, which opened and ended the show by playing interactive games with the crowd.
Another Aragon group that performed at the Talent Show was the men’s a capella group September. Freshman member Michael Herrera says, “There’s a slightly different aura [at the talent show]. You have a little bit more friends and energy. There’s a certain amount [of energy] to the band and choir concerts, but it’s a little more subdued. At the talent show, it gets ridiculously loud and it gets you going, and there’s a variety of acts, and it’s all so exciting, and I really enjoyed it.”
Senior Lexi Solis performed for her second year in a row. Solis says, “I decided to do it the first time because not a lot of people knew I could sing, and I wanted to surprise people and show off my talent. This time, I liked the feeling of performing and being solo, even though I do choir.”
For others, the talent show is a medium with which to express themselves. Junior Mark Osorio performed his original spoken word piece “Black and Blue.” Osorio says, “It’s about police brutality towards colored men, primarily African Americans. It was something I wanted to voice.”
The subject of Osorio’s piece also was full of controversy. Osorio says, “I know people are aware of it, but I want people to be aware of how heavy it is. I know it will be [intense in comparison to the other acts] because if you look at the list, there’s a lot of singing and they’ll probably be nice songs, and then I’m going to suddenly come out and have something serious to say.”
For others, the talent show is just about coming together with friends and having a good time. Junior Alton Olson performed songs by Mayday Parade with a band of friends on stage. Olson says, “I don’t like Mayday Parade, but I’m doing it for the team.”
Likewise, freshman Anna Chuakay performed in the show because of her friends’ encouragement. Chuakay says, “[My friend] chose a pretty cool song so it would be fun to try to sing it. It’s a mashup of ‘I’m Not the Only One’ and ‘Thinking Out Loud.’ It sounds pretty cool together.”
Senior Katie Kilcullen has performed in the talent show for the last three years. “Personally, I get really bad stage fright, so after I get on stage, it takes me little bit to get comfortable, but once I do, it’s really exhilarating. You’re up there, and you’re really vulnerable, but since you’re doing something you love, it makes it worth the stress,” she says.
Junior Danny Halawi and senior Maher Senan closed the show with their performance of “Miserable at Best.” Halawi and Senan are cousins.
Halawi says, “I’m going to be really sad that [Senan] won’t be here next year, and that’s why the song is called ‘Miserable at Best’—because without him I’ll be miserable at best. He’s my brother, and I love him.”
