This year, Bryan hosted its first show choir showcase, giving students the chance to perform for the school community. Bryan’s show choir group Surround Sound’s performance featured five songs worth of singing, dancing and theatrical performances inspired by the story of Rapunzel from the Disney movie “Tangled.”

Students spent weeks preparing for the showcase. During rehearsals, they also worked with the show band, consisting of band director Dr. Brian Lew, pianist John McCoy, senior David Juan and junior Diego Villalba-Lopez.

The event ran from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and consisted of 10 groups. In the end, the event was a learning experience for all.

“It’s not a competitive event,” said director Matthan Mrkvicka. “We still want to have a good performance, and we still want to be good. The main thing is we still want to be good for people.”

Junior Ali Johnson appreciates how the experience was a chance to grow in confidence.

“This is my first show,” Johnson said. “Singing and dancing in front of a whole bunch of people is really different from just practicing.”

Mrkvicka worked with students for weeks to make sure they were prepared.

“It’s a lot of work, but they enjoy the music part of it,” Mrkvicka said. “They are learning how to perform together, manage costume changes and work with the band. It’s all part of the experience.”

Johnson was excited for the opportunity to perform in front of a bigger audience and represent the school.

“It’s going to bring more attention to our school, and it’s going to bring more people to watch our shows,” Johnson said.

The showcase also left sophomore Henry Gregor hopeful about what’s down the road for show choir at Bryan.

“I felt really excited because it’s a big opportunity for our school,” Gregor said. “I hope that it continues to be here in the future.”