The friendly chatter stops, the lights go out and slowly fade back in with rainbow colors while gentle singing begins to mesmerize the crowd. Just the morning before, choir students went to work and constructed a stage, transforming the library into a space more like an amphitheater. 

Famous melodies from varying movies and musicals were performed, such as “Breaking Free” from High School Musical and “Therapy” from tick, tick…Boom. Desserts lined the tables while the full ensemble began the show with “Somewhere” from West Side Story.

All this happened as part of the Choir’s Library Cabaret, held by the music department for the ninth year in a row now. 

“We use [the cabaret] mainly as a fundraiser for the choir program,” sophomore Norah Lee said. While it is free to attend the show, the music department asks for donations in exchange for the music and dessert it provides. 

Lee sang “Shallow” from A Star is Born as a duet with senior Kevin Jennings, as well as a solo performance of “I Need a Hero” from Footloose. The cabaret is an opportunity for choir students to share the music they love with people they care about. 

“Some of my best friends are here,” Lee said. “I had so much fun singing with them.”

While on stage, some students spun or acted out the scene from the movie, truly encapsulating the heart of the song. 

“You just let things go, and if you stop thinking, it sounds better,” sophomore Collin Diem said. 

Along with junior Sam Takemoto, Diem sang the duet “Only Us” from Dear Evan Hansen. After intermission he soloed, singing “One Song Glory” from Rent. 

“It was awesome,” Diem said. “Every year Mr. Rosenfeld puts on something spectacular.”