Talent shows are a stereotypical school experience, and our school is no different. Every year, there is something called The Variety Show, students can sign up to show off what they’re good at. Singing, instruments, comedy and scripted acts are just a few examples. Clubs from our school are also allowed to participate, and the Improv team signs up every year.
Even before taking over the Student Government Association (SGA), Social Studies teacher Ryan Zito was in charge of the variety show with English teacher Kelly Dillon.
Unfortunately, in recent years, the Variety Show has had less and less turnout. Last year, only four people signed up and the show ended up being canceled. The decline in participation started during the Coronavirus pandemic in 2020. Last year there were only four signups, including Improv, leading to the show being canceled.
“When we came back from the dislocation of Covid, a lot of the students hadn’t heard about [the Variety Show] before, either because they didn’t remember or just weren’t at Yorktown before Covid,” Zito said.
The low turnout for performers also means a low turnout for the audience. This year’s show was almost moved to the black box because of how small the group was; the only reason it was still in the Auditorium was because the black box was already booked for a third party event.
Anyone can sign up for the variety show, student or staff, with the QR code on the promotion posters hung up around the school. There are tryouts and dress rehearsals for the show, but everyone is welcome to perform.
Along with running the SGA and the Variety Show, Zito also sponsors our school’s Improv team, and opts them into the Variety Show every year. Improv does one game, and the Improv presidents often host the Variety Show in its entirety.
“We waited until too late in the year … there wasn’t a ton of interest,” Zito said.
Planning for the Variety Show was put off until it was too late, leading to under-promotion and participation. Between senior experience and other theatrical productions, the interest for the Variety Show was not enough to justify holding it.
In its prime, the Variety Show could fill the auditorium house seats, with plenty of acts to keep the crowd entertained for an hour or so. Because of this excitement for the show, admissions used to cost money, whereas now a ticket is free. The Variety Show wasn’t a very small production, either, hiring professional videographers.
“We would sell the ‘Official Bootleg’ as a DVD for people who couldn’t make it.” Zito said.
After signing up for the show, there is a day of tryouts, which is just there to make sure acts are appropriate, and then one dress rehearsal before the actual show. Being in the show does require a little communication, though. Anyone’s act that has music or sound must send a file or link to the sound to Zito or Dillon to be put on a setlist, but that’s virtually it.
The annual show is a much beloved tradition that is fighting not to get lost to time, but it can only exist with student body support and participation. Remember that everyone is welcome to try out, and we hope to see you at the next show.
