On Tuesday, December 7, family and friends gathered in Rome High School’s Performing Arts Center (PAC) in eager anticipation of the Choir and Drama Department’s special Christmas Cabaret show.
Directed by LeAnna Iddings, Rome High Chorus and Grand Finale Show Choir Director, and Alexis Tyson, the Christmas Cabaret was a special way to kick off the holiday season.
Packed full of festive songs and student-choreographed dance pieces, the crowd was sure to leave feeling extra-merry and bright.
Dressed in their festive best, the full cast kicked off the show with a performance of the song, “We Need a Little Christmas.”
The Women’s Choir, comprised of treble singers from grades nine through twelve, then took the stage to perform three songs, “Once Upon a December,” “Santa Claus is Coming to Town,” led by soloist Payton Smith, and lastly, “Mary Did You Know.”
Rome High senior, Bethany Allison, who was recently selected as part of the Georgia Music Educators High School All-State Chorus, performed a solo singing “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.” Allison was accompanied by her mother on piano.
Students Laethan Day and Liz Suffill, then wowed the crowd with their duet to Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani’s tune, “You Make It Feel Like Christmas.”
The Red and Gold Elite Singers were the last to take the stage before the intermission. The group of 12 performed three songs, one of which held a special surprise for the crowd.
After their rendition of “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” the group moved to the front of the stage to perform “White Winter Hymnal,” which received a standing ovation from the enthusiastic audience. For the Red and Gold’s last performance, Iddings joined the dancers on stage to perform a special tap dance as the group sang “Hot Chocolate” from the film “The Polar Express.”
The dancers welcomed back the crowd after the ten-minute intermission with a hip hop style dance to the tune “Christmas Is.”
Rome High senior, Grace Mahoney, then took the stage to perform “Where Are You Christmas?” followed by Gracie Goble’s solo, “Let There Be Peace.”
Bethany Allison, Grace Mahoney, and Audrey Williamson came together to perform the song “Ave Marie.” The singers were accompanied by featured dancers dressed in white; a beautiful execution to bring together the two groups as the show drew to a close.
For the last three songs of the evening, the Red and Gold Elite Singers and Grand Finale came together to perform three cheerful Christmas tunes. The group began with the song “Ding, Dong! Merrily on High,” followed by “the Winter’s Night.” Last, but certainly not least, the group performed a combination of three childhood Christmas favorites, “Frosty the Snowman,” “Santa Claus is Coming to Town,” and “Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer.”
“I am so thankful to everyone who came out tonight to support our students,” Iddings commented to the crowd. “As you can see, it was truly a collaborative effort between so many people, and we are just so proud to be able to show it off tonight.”