Upper School
Performing Arts Night

The MMFS Upper School Performing Arts Night on April 17th was a wonderful celebration of the performing arts at our upper school. Theater teacher Sharon Counts, dance teacher Stephanie Lazzara, and music teacher Michael Beharie shared some highlights of the evening.

Theater
The Foundations of Theater class performed scenes from The Dining Room by A. R Gurney. In addition, each student in the Foundations class wrote and directed an original short silent film that was screened that evening and enjoyed by all! The Comedy Workshop class began its presentation with a student performing his stand-up routine, followed by students sharing some of their favorite improv games called park bench and improv freeze tag. Both were hilarious and entertaining.

Dance
This semester, the Foundations of Dance class has been working on creating both group dances and solo choreography with a focus on developing each dancer’s personal movement style, partnering, dynamics, and the use of space. The class performed three exciting dance pieces for Performing Arts Night. Two students each choreographed and performed solos that highlighted their technical skills as well as their artistry. The group dance, a humorous take on a night out dancing, featured the group’s partnering skills. Dance teacher, Stephanie Lazzara said, “I was impressed by the group’s dedication to rehearsing and their stage presence, from the technical rehearsals to the professional manner in which they performed. Bravo!”

Music
Performing Arts Night celebrated many victories for our upper school’s music department. All three of the upper school music classes performed their strongest songs. Students in the Instrumental Music class, comprised primarily of ninth graders, showed how far they have progressed in learning the complex form and chord changes in Young The Giant’s “Cough Syrup.” The Technology in Music and Related Arts (TIMARA) classes each played electro-acoustic numbers that students helped to produce and arrange. The Advanced Instrumental Music class ended the concert portion of the evening with a note-for-note recreation of the Red Hot Chili Peppers song “Snow (Hey Oh).”

Congratulations to all of our talented upper school students!