Competing at three show choir festivals throughout January and February, Pizzazz, accompanied by their backup band TDL, performs to energize and entertain their audience.
“One of the main priorities of Pizzazz as a show choir is to make sure we are not only exciting to watch but sound good as well,” senior member Greta Rosenstock said.
During rehearsals, members work on the musicality aspect of their performance with choir director Ms. Claire Minnis, along with having dance rehearsals with choreographer Ms. Emily Peterson.
“We set up the choir room with platforms facing the mirrors and use them to work on not only the movements themselves, but also to make sure we have good energy and facial expressions so that our show is more entertaining,” Rosenstock said.
Incorporated into the group’s competition set is a theme that the songs and choreography revolve around.
“All of the songs in our competition set have to do with ‘green,’” Rosenstock said. “Our show starts with ‘One Short Day’ from the musical Wicked, and our closer is ‘Mean Green Mother from Outer Space.’”
Between the opener and closer, there are four songs, including two Irish songs the girls and guys perform separately, a ballad and a performance of just five girls. Both Rosenstock and sophomore Matthew Kertzman agree that the closer is one of their favorites to perform.
“My favorite song as a whole and the most entertaining is our closer because I think it’s very energetic,” Kertzman said, “but my favorite song that we sing vocally is our ballad, ‘How Are Things in Glocca Morra,’ because I think it showcases our vocal talent the best.”
Since Pizzazz is a class, the group rehearses during school, as well as rehearsing outside of school when a competition is coming up.
“The week before our first competition, we had a dress rehearsal at school on Sunday night and we also had a rehearsal the following Tuesday,” Rosenstock said. “Parents and alumni were both welcome at these rehearsals so that we could get some performing experience in front of an audience before the competitions.”
Members say the atmosphere of rehearsals changes when a competition or performance is coming up.
“There’s always a select group of people who are always working hard and there’s the people that are always slacking off, but when it’s the week before a competition everyone is on top of their game,” Kertzman said.
Pizzazz had three competitions in a four week span. The third competition has been the same weekend as KOH the past couple years, meaning performers could not attend the dance.
Junior Jacob Parmley, a member of TDL, said missing KOH wasn’t a big deal for him.
“I would mind if it was Prom or Homecoming,” Parmley said, “but I’m not upset about missing KOH.”
Parmley plays trumpet in TDL along with other brass instrument players and percussionists from the Jazz Band.
“Mr. (Doug) Hoover and Ms. Minnis asked me to do it,” Parmley said. “I think it’s really fun.”
In addition to being fun, Rosenstock’s interest in joining Pizzazz came out of a way to carry on the family legacy.
“My brother was in it before me, and I have been deeply involved in the choir department my entire high school career,” Rosenstock said. “I love singing and performing, and Pizzazz is an activity in which I get to do both.”
