Chapel Hill High students demonstrated their diverse talents at the annual Junior Follies on January 21-22; the show highlighted students’ musical strengths, with playing from five different student bands and three solo artists, as well as two choir performances and three different dance acts.
The school’s annual talent show is organized by the Junior Class Council in conjunction with the theater department, with the proceeds going towards the annual prom.
This year’s show raised nearly $6,000, according to Junior Class Council member Jordan Viviers.
Many performers and those in attendance were pleased with the event.
“Everyone did really well,” junior Gustaf O’Brien, who plays drums for the band Cy and I, said. “As for our group in particular, we played well in general. When we made mistakes, they were practically unnoticeable.”
Junior Cy Steele-Cobb, the keyboardist (and namesake) of Cy and I, agreed.
“We’re off to a good start given that [the band] was formed just a month ago,” Steele-Cobb said. “We will definitely keep practicing and hopefully do better at next year’s show.”
Senior Eliza Hedeman-Brown was also pleased with her performance and cites her involvement with Junior Follies, which she has participated in for three years, as a formative experience.
“Follies helped me find myself and my people,” Hedeman-Brown said. “Performing in the shows has opened so many doors, and now I’m on track to go to college for performing arts. I couldn’t be more grateful for this experience and to the people involved.”
Other students were also first-time performers: senior Emrys Bowers recited original spoken-word poetry.
“I’ve been writing poetry since sophomore year,” Bowers said. “This year’s Follies was my first time reciting it to an audience, but I’m excited to continue writing and performing poetry in the future. I’m currently doing a workshop with the Carrboro and Chapel Hill Poet Laureates where we will be writing and performing poetry related to climate action.”
Social studies teacher Aaron Wark, who attended the Saturday show, expressed his admiration for all of the performers.
“I brought my family and two friends, and everyone left with huge smiles,” Wark said. “It’s such a treat to see students in a different venue, where they’re able to show off different parts of themselves. My friend brought their first grader, and, when we left, she couldn’t stop talking about how impressed she was with the teens.”
Theater director Thomas Drago was similarly impressed with the work of everyone involved.
“The student performers and technicians did an outstanding job,” Drago said. “We had a huge audience turnout and I really enjoyed the variety of acts.”
