On Feb. 25, The Leesville Choral Department will be hosting its fourteenth annual Performing Arts Cafe for the Leesville community in the cafeteria (time to be announced).
Each year, members from all of Leesville’s choral ensembles perform everything from top 50 hits, Broadway musical numbers, and classical music in the cafeteria.
“It’s always so much fun and a nice contrast from the Requiem we’ve been working on since August,” said Bob Nelson, junior.
MacKenzie Boone, who performed in the Cafe last year, describes the experience as “nerve racking at first.”
“It’s like a lot different than performing with the chorus,” she said. “You’re really out of your element, but it’s still fun.”
This year, more acts than ever auditioned for the cafe. “We had enough auditions for over four hours of performing,” said Diane Covington, choral director.
Covington says choosing the acts is one of the hardest decisions she has to make all year long.
“Sure, it would be easy to turn down people that didn’t sound very good, but the problem is that everyone sounds good,” she said.
Covington also chooses a boy and a girl for the coveted emcee position. “I really want to be the emcee,” said Kathryn Lee, senior. “It’s not like I am performing or anything, so I think would be awesome to say funny and awkward things between each set.”
If singers do not make the cut, they have the opportunity to be waiters and waitresses, serving dessert to the audience. “I did it last year, and I think it’s probably just as fun,” said Ally Bass, senior.
The Performing Arts Cafe has a theme every year. Due to Capital Pride’s trip to New York, the choral department has decided to bring a little piece of New York back to Leesville with a Broadway theme.
“Everyone should come to the PA Cafe,” said Rosalee Bailey, senior. “I mean, is there anything better than dessert and music?”
