Written by: Rebecca Alger

The choir performed Nancy Gilsenan Hersage’s “I Want to Hold Your Babushka” on Feb. 13 and 14. The show was a collaboration between the staff and choir students. The show consisted of a plot to kidnap The Beatles, a plot to then release The Beatles, and a plot (from the choir) to make the audience laugh and come back to every choir show thereafter.

The choir-staff musical raises money for the Gunn Choir Scholarship Fund to allow students to participate in the annual choir trip.  This summer, the choir program will be performing in Spain and France.

According to the choir director, Bill Liberatore, the entire show was put together in less than two months. “It’s so ruched, but that’s also part of the thrill,” math teacher Dave Deggeller said.

Because The Beatles are so well known, everybody involved got a chance to perform and watch some of their favorite songs. “This year’s show was by far a lot better and more fun in my opinion,” senior Sadie Puicón said. “I’ve always loved The Beatles. It’s always more fun to work with something that both you and the audience are more familiar with.”

The show also gave the choir students an opportunity to create even stronger connections with their fellow performers. “The best part of the choir show was spending time with all my fabulous friends, creatingnew friends, and strengthning bonds with the choir as a whole,” sophomore Danny Golovinsky said. “I got to know a lot of the freshmen that I didn’t already know, and they’re all wonderful.”

The singers and viewers all enjoy getting the opportunity to see their teachers in a more casual light. “It was a lot fun having the show with teachers because we got to see how they are when they’re not teaching,” junior Haley King said.

The night was enjoyable for both students and teachers. “Working with teachers is such a great experience and it’s a great way to see the more fun and lax side of Gunn teachers,” Puicón said.

The teachers also  appreciate getting to build relationships with students and colleagues they might otherwise get the chance to interact with. “The best thing is the camaraderie with the teachers,” choir teacher Bill Liberatore said. “It’s great to make new connections and see people in a different setting.”

The audience laughed the loudest during the unscripted portions of the show, making everything much more enjoyable for everyone. “Liberatore doesn’t put any pressure on the students or the teachers,” Deggeller said. “He knows it’s not going to be perfect, but that’s also part of the charm of it.”

Having both teachers and students in a show brought people together in a way that normally wouldn’t have occured.   “Putting a show together with teachers really brings the school community together,” Liberatore said. “It’s a very special experience for all involved.”