Chorus prepares for annual show
Singing underneath a mask, senior Natalie Yale looks out into the audience during “Anything Goes.” The concert will be livestreamed online due to the pandemic.
Chorus classes are finishing up their final preparations in anticipation of the annual show, Ricks Café, that will be held virtually this Saturday, Feb. 20.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, there will be no audience in attendance and the show will be live streamed for all to watch at home.
“It’s more fun to have a live audience, but it doesn’t matter that much to me,” junior Michael Gonzalez said. “Everyone will still get to see it live.”
As COVID-19 cases continue to spike at Plant, the number of quarantined kids also continues to spike. Choral director Bruce Yost said that quarantines are one of his main concerns regarding the show.
“We have the issue of students possibly getting quarantined which would mess some of the acts up,” Yost said. “We’re at the point where we just have to accept what happens…We’ve had very few students get quarantined and I’m definitely feeling lucky that we haven’t had more.”
While some students expressed discontent with the circumstances, others, such as junior Dagney Johnson, are hopeful.
“I’m looking forward to being with the other classes and watching all of the acts perform,” Johnson said. “I’m unsure about how I feel about the live stream but I’m hopeful that it all works out. I don’t have any expectations right now, but I just hope it’s as fun as previous years.”
Although Yost has directed Rick’s Café for many years, the 2021 show being the 30th annual production, he has never put on a show under these unique circumstances.
“This is going to be a Rick’s Café like we have never had before,” Yost said. “Everyone involved in this production is in uncharted waters…It’s exciting, but it’s also nerve-wracking and terrifying.”
