Virtuoso Junior, Montgomery’s junior high theatre ensemble, put on a fantastic show on Thursday, March 7. The program was entitled, “MTI’s Broadway Junior Revue: Raise Your Voice.”

The young performers did an excellent job as they sang and danced through a variety of pieces from a wide range of Broadway shows.

Carina McNear, co-director of Virtuoso Junior, said, “The reason we chose to do a review versus just one show, is the talent pool coming up through. Those kids all deserve the opportunity to shine, and we are only going to get better if we encourage every kid, not just two or three.”

The performances proved to be a great showcase for the young group. In addition to singing, there were numerous song and dance numbers that covered an array of dance genres.

The numbers in the production were: “The Spark of Creation” from “Children of Eden JR.,” “Matchmaker” from “Fiddler on the Roof JR.,” “Consider Yourself” from “Oliver JR.,” “Step in Time” from “Mary Poppins JR.,” “Part of Your World” from “The Little Mermaid JR.,” “These Palace Walls” from “Aladdin JR.,” “Beautiful City” from “Godspell JR.,” “We’re All in this Together” from “High School Musical JR.,” “Right Before Your Eyes” from “James and the Giant Peach JR.,” “Raise Your Voice” from “Sister Act JR.,” “So Much Better” from “Legally Blonde JR.” and “Why We Tell the Story” from “Once on this Island JR.”

Nearly all of the show’s numbers were choreographed by Jessica Carpenter, who is also a Virtuoso Junior co-director. When asked what genres of dance were in the show, she said, “We did tap, contemporary, lyrical, musical theatre and a little bit of jazz. We hit a lot of different genres and types of dance because each of the songs are just a little bit different and each of them lent themselves to try new things.”

The dancing was quite impressive. While numerous students participated in the dance numbers and they all did a wonderful job, only a few of them take lessons at dance studios. Carpenter said, “For the most part, they are all taught here.

We get a chance to kind of give them that experience. We do a lot of training in rehearsals on technique and posture so they can do all of these different styles.” She added that the only number she didn’t choreograph was from “High School Musical JR.” which had prearranged choreography.

Before the show began, it was announced that the show was almost one hundred percent student produced. Camden Dalrymple and Alexis DeSantis were student directors. Other high school students that are members of Virtuoso served as mentors to the junior high students.

Dalrymple participated in Virtuoso Junior shows when he was a young student. When asked what it was like to go from a student performer to a student director, he said, “It’s really cool to see it. This program at this point is my family, and seeing the family grow, and getting to go from being so young to now, to helping other students is just really cool.”

When McNear was asked what it was like to co-lead a student-produced performance, she said, “Obviously Mrs. Carpenter and I are a part of it but we both have always felt like one of the greatest gifts we can give our kids, is the feeling of what we feel. And if we can help train the high school kids to see things the way that we do, and to hear things the way that we do, it makes them so much more self-aware in their own performing. I always say that the best directors and choreographers are the people who have done it. I want those kids to have that opportunity, so in turn it strengthens the program all the way through. It just really gives all the kids more ownership of the program, because it’s not my program, it’s our program.”

In addition to members of Virtuoso Junior and Virtuoso participating in the show, select members of the Elementary Chorus sang in some of the numbers. Rebecca Reeder, the Elementary Choral Director, thoroughly enjoyed have her students be a part of the show. She said, “It was a blast . . . When I gave them the opportunity and told them about the show they were super excited. I think it took what we are doing in chorus to the next level, because now all of a sudden they were motivated by something outside.”

The stage performers: Grace Childs, Emily Miller, Isabella Clinard, Kira Follmer, Hailey Campbell, Madalynne Whitmoyer, Raegan Troxell, Lily

Gingery, Brielle Mowrey, Erica Kunst, Hailey Bitler, Avery Heasley, Maddie Hamm, Sophia Shaffer, Angelica Greiner.

The select elementary chorus members: Ethan Boyer, Madison Buck, Kaylee Budd, Dixie Cobb, Giovanni Dellomo, Lillian Dieter, MiKayla Eveland, Logan Gair, Sophia Geiger, Tristan Gockley, Madisyn Gomez, Hadley Heaster, Alice Heffelfinger, Olivia Kaelin, Chelsea Marquette, Aaliyah Mistretta, Becca Muhl, Reace Parrish, Amelia Russell, Jaelyn Thomas, Zooey White, Leila Hampton, Jacob Whitmoyer.

Crew Members: Serenity Straub, Brooklyn Dietrich, Ashley Propst, Adalynn Lilley, Taylor Medina, Camden Nuun, Adelyn Rine, Joslyn Stoner, Anniston Tyson, Carter Rider, Audrey Cook, and Aaron Johnson.

High School Student Directors: Alexis DeSantis and Camden Dalrymple.

High School Mentors: Alexis DeSantis, Lexi Boyer, Autumn Fry, Bryce Miller, Miranda Stoner, Emily Dieffenderfer, Skylar Rice, Maeson Beck-Barton, Emma Keister, Camden Dalrymple, Laila Hessler, Justin Figard, Gabi Calderon, Emily Bucio, Lily Muhl, Zoey Sargent, Aislyn White, Margot Schreiber.

High School Performers: Alexis DeSantis, Lexi Boyer, Autumn Fry, Bryce Miller, Emily Dieffenderfer, Skylar Rice, Maeson Beck-Barton, Bobby Udani, Anali Pick, Camden Dalrymple, Laila Hessler, Justin Figard, Gabi Calderon, Lily Muhl, Zoey Sargent, Rubi Solano, Zoe Furman, Jill Pautz, Kaylee Sargent.

Production Team: Virtuoso Junior Co-Directors: Mrs. Carina McNear and Mrs. Jessica Carpenter. Elementary Choral Director: Miss Rebecca Reeder. Technical Director: Mr. Jim Carpenter. Lighting: Mr. Trey Fox and Gabby Butcher. Videography: Peyton Hartman, Briar Persing, Parker Persing, and Caleb Parkyn. Photography: Gigi Leet, Laila Hessler, Lainie Solano, and Zoe Furman. Usher: Kendra Emery.