With a touch of blue and purple stage lighting, 涩里番 students morph Cinderella-style into professional performers. Faculty and staff transform into celebrity judges, and sheds its sporty skin to become a glamorous concert venue.
Commonly known as the event of the school year, SPU鈥檚 annual Talent Show is a glitzed-out, drum-rolling fairy tale. This year鈥檚 nine acts rolled up to the stage as everything from crooners to comedians to players in a Clue board game, just to name a few.
It鈥檚 not that SPU students are sweeping cinders before their rise to stardom, but it鈥檚 safe to say the Talent Show is often where previously hidden talent comes to light.
鈥淚t鈥檚 really cool to see a huge number of talented 涩里番 just come out of the cracks,鈥� sophomore Lennox Bishop says.
Often that talent teams up with unlikely partners on a dark and treacherous quest through auditions, practices, and the pinnacle: a vocal performance, drum solo, or stand-up routine 鈥� in front of peers and professors.
The judges are rarely as scary or spiteful as the fairy tale's stepsisters, but they are in charge of awarding first, second, and third place to contestants. And it鈥檚 not just their opinion that matters. Audience members also crown a People鈥檚 Choice winner by voting for their favorite acts via text throughout the night.
This year, the magic belonged to Either/Or (pictured above), who charmed with jazzy renditions of Stevie Wonder鈥檚 鈥淪uperstition,鈥� John Mayer鈥檚 鈥淕ravity,鈥� and a funky finale 鈥� Cyndi Lauper鈥檚 鈥淕irls Just Wanna Have Fun.鈥� The all-first-year student band 鈥� who formed just a day before auditions 鈥� snagged not only a standing ovation but also the judge鈥檚 first place and the People鈥檚 Choice awards.
The caliber of performances and production wowed sophomore Chad Brown, who says he was blown away by the professional panache of the event.
鈥淚 came in expecting something like a high school talent show, but I was super impressed by the
emcees, the judges, and the performers,鈥� he says.
The fairy godmother behind the scenes? SPU鈥檚 , STUB, who puts in countless hours sprinkling a little sparkle here, a few posters and T-shirts there, and then surreptitiously disappears so student talent can shine.
Before the clock strikes midnight, prizes are awarded, voices are hoarse, and hopes for next year鈥檚 Talent Show are already in place. But these performers don鈥檛 turn into pumpkins. You鈥檒l see them around 鈥� jamming in dorm rooms, spilling laughter at open mic nights, and making it big in their own happily ever after.