Singers sizzle in Pop Show

The Citrus Singers' "Pop Show" entertained a nearly full house on opening night at the Haugh Performing Arts Center on May 21.

The audience, which ranged in age from the terrible twos to the octogenarians, was served a Vegas-style buffet of musical selections.

The forty-four Citrus Singers, the Blue Note Orchestra, and several of John
Vaughan's dancers appetized theater-goers and the professional tech team maintained the mood with a burst of rich color for every number.

Douglas Austin, director of the Citrus Singers, did a brilliant job with a variety of music selections, spotlighting his students' hard work and talent.

Consider, for instance, Reyna Cerca's versatility with the violin while singing and dancing in the "Rockin' Boogie Woogie Fiddle Country Blues."

Not only did Cerca play the violin, but she also brought in her Mariachi band to perform "Toro Relajo," with her own brother, Ivan Cerca, playing the trumpet.

Her voice was boisterous and enchanting, and the audience was in awe of her numerous talents.

From the breath taking classical acapella piece "The Prayer of the Children" to the disco dance vibes of "Baby I'm a Star," the best aspect of the show was the ever-changing flavors of music selections, which surprised spectators and kept them hungry number after number.

There was no telling which decade or era was going to be served.

"They even have music for us old folks," said Jack Lesch of Glendora, a Haugh season ticket holder.

Lesch and his wife have been attending shows for 10 years.

A favorite arrangement was the feature on the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, and the King of Rock ‘n' Roll, Elvis Presley.

The audience's favorite mix from "The Music of Elvis Presley" was the "Teddy Bear/Hound Dog" performance, which showcased Jessica Mason's fierceness and swagger while she represented all women who are tired of "hound dog" men.

By act two, the audience's mood was somber with less-thrilling songs, but laughter came out as the result of the entertaining  "Hair Medley," complete with outrageous hair and exuberant costumes that took the show to a higher ground.

In act two, the numbers from "Spring Awakening," did not digest well.
It was as if all the rejected first-year students came together and picked a few songs from "Spring Awakening" to fill time.

The singing was mostly out of tune and under cooked, and the singers performing the numbers lacked seasoning.

The chair choreography was more interesting than the noise coming out of the singers' mouths.

Audience members' eyes wandered to the stage lights, or to their cell phones, some hands maybe reached for Pepto-Bismal because of the hard- to-swallow performance.

What gave the show a comeback from the low point of "Spring Awakening" was an honest performance from Lindsay Rupp and Patricia Eredia in "The Grass is Always Greener."

Like wine and cheese, Rupp and Eredia's voices and acting were complimentary the best duet of the night.

The song was about the two women coming from different backgrounds: one a model/socialite, the other a housewife, both compare their lives with a comic relief.

One noticeable performer was first- year Citrus Singer Tyrell Norwood, who showed consistency each time he was on stage, whether performing "Undecided" with a group or singing a solo in the "Michael Jackson Melody."

Norwood showed promising talent by owning the stage and engaging the audience while keeping his voice in tune.

On the other end of the spectrum from Norwood was Lauren Nichols, student director of the Citrus Singers.

Nichols' noticeably annoying voice popped out, her solo "Good Morning Sunshine" confirmed where the piercing nasal sound was coming from.

A better speaker than a singer, Nichols spoke on behalf of the third year Citrus Singers biding their fans farewell.

After a drowning memorized goodbye speech, the last song tied together the Citrus Singers' journey perfectly: "For Good" from the popular Broadway show "Wicked," a memorable song mentioning how each person's life has influenced the individual for the better.

The show successfully satisfied the audience despite some bittersweet entrees.
 

The Citrus Singers are noticeably a pride of the school and includes many talented and devoted students; the sacrificial hours and putting off general education requirements for the love of performing arts is visible on stage.