“Blackbird singing in the dead of night.” These were the opening words of “As the Blackbird Flies,” the Vocal Revue show. On March 22 and 23, eleven students, under the direction of Mark Hoover, performed 20 songs in the Orvis Theatre. Some of the students had performed there before, but for most this was their Upper School debut.
This production, like most vocal shows at SAAS, started and ended with ensemble songs. The first ensemble song was “Blackbird,” by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, as arranged by Crosby, Stills, and Nash. This number provided the inspiration for the name of the show, “As the Blackbird Flies.” The other ensemble song, the last song of the night, was “AS,” by Stevie Wonder. Both were wonderful.
Every student in Vocal Revue sang a solo. But, one particularly talented student, Sydney Grayson ’20, sang two solos. These were “Everytime We Say Goodbye,” by Cole Porter, and “Crazy,” by Gnarls Barkley, and both were remarkable. I truly hope I get the chance to see her perform again next year.
Of all of the songs from this show, my personal favorite was “Angel Down,” by Lady Gaga. This five-part harmony was sung by Ella Kodjababian ’19, Florette Cederstrand ’20, Lexi Norwitz ’20, Orson Smith ’20, and Sydney Grayson ’20. They sang it with such passion and energy that, even after a week, I still can’t get the lyrics out of my head.
The next Upper School vocal performance at SAAS will be “Onions in Concert,” which opens on Friday, May 26.