Valparaiso High School Drama Club presents VHS Telethon! The scripted “telethon” was, in other words, April Antics 2016! On Friday, April 22, at 7:00 pm in the Valparaiso High School auditorium, talented students took the stage and wowed the audience with a student directed and written talent show, that combined a script with individual acts.
This year, the Drama Club put on “VHS Telethon”, a “telethon” that raised $1,000 to continue their program by putting on acts while people called in and donated. Some acts included the VHS Vikettes “Uma Thurman”, a parody presidential debate, Irish dancers, and Principal Dr. Amones singing with some of the members of the men’s choir.
This is the second year in a row that students have written and directed the show. This year, Kathryn Jankowski, Adrienne Lineback, and Jillian Rafaliski took on the daunting task of writing and directing April Antics. Although students controlled most of the show, there was still someone to make sure everything went as planned, Molly Vass.
A teacher at Valpo High School and Drama Club Director, Vass says “This show is really unique because all of the talent acts are not typical drama club members, so we bring a lot of people onto the stage that don’t get that opportunity very often, this show is also very student driven – it always comes together because of the student writers and all of the talent they have”
The Drama Club is not the only club involved in April Antics; Valparaiso Speech and Debate also sells chocolate covered pretzels every year at April Antics as a fundraiser.
“I’m in both Drama Club and Speech and Debate and it’s so nice to see two influential clubs working so closely together,” said Lily Quint, student at VHS. Valpo Girls Basketball also put together a "VGB Spies" act for the second year in a row for the talent show.
“Between April Antics and basketball it was a lot to keep up with, but I’m so happy that I did it. It was so much fun to slide across the floor and dance with my teammates, and to see all the talent Valpo has to offer,” Madison Ochs, member of the Valpo Girls basketball team, said.
Another member of the girls’ basketball team, Bridget McGrath, said “It was honestly so much fun to incorporate basketball with Drama Club this year, and I’m so glad I could be a part of it.”
It was clear that everyone was more than satisfied with this year’s April Antics, and all the students were proud of the hard work that was finally paying off. There were standing ovations, laughing, goosebumps, and gasps from the crowd all night, and after the show there were many congratulations and “I’m so proud of you!”s from friends and family alike.
Come out to Valpo High School to watch a very impressive show that you can still see Saturday, April 23rd in case you missed Friday’s show!