The faculty and students that are part of “Encore” at Sky View have been working for months preparing a presentation that will showcase limitless talent. Led by Karen Tuescher, the Encore group has been polishing this year’s show and will be taking the stage four nights this week to entertain those who will be attending the show.

Tuescher who directs the choir as well as the Encore group described the show as the best of both worlds. “We put together acting and vocals … and all that good hard work that we do.” Tuescher described the performance as a USO style show that contains thirty two different numbers that include big group dance numbers, as well as solos, and men’s and women’s numbers. The annual show will run about two hours with an intermission. Tuescher said the group has been working hard on getting ready for this performance. The students and those involved with the performances usually put in a couple of nights each week that consist of about two hour practices. In addition to the annual show, Encore also performs a Christmas performance. At Christmas time and in preparation for this show they have added some additional nights of practice as well as some Saturday rehearsals.

Senior Amelia Mann in her first Encore performance described her experience as a “thoroughly enjoyable” experience. Mann said the preparation for this performance has been “very time consuming but definitely worth it.” Mann’s favorite number is Jailhouse Rock because in her words “there is a lot of personality and a lot of interesting dance moves in it.”

Second year Encore veteran, Senior Mike Marshall, participated earlier this year in the musical performance of the Wizard of Oz as well as a couple of other plays in his career at Sky View. In describing this Encore performance said, “I love it, I think it has been one of my favorite shows that I have been in.” Marshall has a solo in his favorite song in the closing number “For Good.”

First year Encore member Abraham Gunther has also participated in other musical endeavors at Sky View, namely “Sky View Idol” and “Sky View’s Greatest Hits.” Gunther could not pick his favorite number, he said he thoroughly enjoyed all of them. When asked if anything embarrassing has ever happened during a show he participated in Gunther said that not too much had happened. He’d only fallen off the stage a couple of times he said with a smile. When discussing his co-performers Gunther said, “I think this show appeals to a certain type of person, so when you get all these type of people together we all just mesh.” Enjoying his time at Sky View the senior expressed that he would be interested in continuing to be involved in these types of programs in college and in the future.

Senior Justin Wellington is a member of the “Techie” crew that is responsible for backstage props, curtains, lights, and sound. Wellington is the sound manager for Sky View and has participated in this role for various performances including the, band & choir concert, the booster club auction, and various other events including the Wizard of Oz performance held earlier this year. His experience at Sky View has created an interest in the possibility of pursuing a future as a sound technician. Describing the role of a sound technician Wellington said, “At first it was hard but as you get used to it, and get more familiar with the subject matter in general it gets easier as it goes on.” There are twenty four different microphones that Wellington and crew are responsible for turning on and off as well as changing levels at precise times during the show.

Opening night was tonight the 28th of March and additional performances can be seen on the 29th, and again on the 31st of March and April 1st. The curtain goes up at 7 p.m.