Culver’s Got Talent Returns to CCHS!
Contestants line up at the end of the show while audience members vote on the winner.
The lights of the Robert Frost Auditorium dimmed last Wednesday as a four-person band walked onto stage and started plugging in guitars, giving basslines a final practice, and testing the sound. The crowd waved colorful glowsticks, anticipation and school spirit filling the audience at Culver City High School's annual talent show.
Walking into the auditorium, audience members were greeted by enthusiastic ASB members, handing out programs and glowsticks before welcoming them to the show. Inside, the Frost was decorated with white and blue banners, streamers, balloons, and a huge Culver’s Got Talent logo projected on the stage. The crowd filled in their seats, and as the show got started, and it was clear that the evening would be one to remember.
Culver’s Got Talent is a CCHS tradition that aims to showcase the variety of skills found in our halls; and this year's program did exactly that. Eleven performances showed off a talent unique to the performer or group. Acts included several bands, singers, stand up comedians, and even an original rap from sophomore Nikhil Urala to close the show. Each act was met with resounding cheers and applause from the audience, and halfway through, ASB brought audience members up to compete in games onstage, giving the show a fun and entertaining intermission.
This year’s talent show was produced by Clark Erekson and Gus Alkire, the ASB Commissioners of the Arts, who auditioned acts, built the program, and partnered with AVPA’s Technical Theater department in producing the show. This is the first year that Theater tech students had the opportunity to show off their skills at Culver’s Got Talent, managing lighting, sound design, and live tech. The results were remarkable, with programmed lighting and backdrops giving the show a professional feel to match the caliber of the acts.
Although competition was tough, winners were chosen via audience vote: Josiah’s Band, playing “Don’t Let Me Down” by the Beatles, won 1st in the group category, and senior Leo Marcus won the solo category. At last year’s show, Marcus only took second place, but he completely captivated the audience on Wednesday with an incredible piano rendition of the same song, “Don’t Let Me Down”, and took home the first place prize for his skill on the piano.
If one thing was made clear at Culver’s Got Talent, it’s that there is no lack of talent at CCHS. Whether it was emotional renditions of Radiohead from graduating seniors, or sparkly tearaway pants in ASB president Anna Eppe’s musical duo, it was clear that every participant was enjoying their time on the stage and brought an inspiring passion to every minute of the show.