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Washington Evening Journal
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The screens are alive with the sound of music
Friday evening, the Iowa Wesleyan University Choir held its annual variety show. Instead of the show taking place at the University chapel with an auction to go along with it, this year the choir opted for an online experience.
'With COVID-19 restrictions and with everything being so different, we realized that we couldn't do the show the same way we had been for the past four years,” director Blair Buffington said.
'We had to make adjustments,” show coordinator Delaney Van Ness said. 'In the past, the shows had been about the community helping us out with donations and ticket sales, but this year, the variety show is a gift to the community. By making it free and online for anyone to view, it's in a way relief for everyone, kind of like an escape from reality.”
The Wesleyan music students and other groups filmed their performances a couple of weeks before the show was to premiere, with three days of filming based on kinds of performances. From choir performances to band pieces to comedy acts, the variety show had it all.
'Usually it's a big community effort, with businesses donating auction items and other groups coming in to help out with the show, but this year our students did it all on their own,” Buffington said. 'They worked really hard, and I am really proud of them.”
Many of the students that worked on the variety show gathered Friday night to watch the premier in the chapel. Cheers and laughter filled the space, even though most of the shared joy was across various screens and chat boxes instead of in person.
'We're incredibly happy with how it turned out this year,” Delaney Van Ness said. 'This is my fourth year working on the variety show, and even though this year was basically a guinea pig run, I'm glad it turned out the way it did.”
The variety show still is available for public viewing on YouTube or via the Iowa Wesleyan University Music Facebook page.
The finale combined all of the IW Choir & Co in a big performance. (Mariah Giberson/The Union)
The variety show ended with the IW Choir & Co. joining together for 'From Now On,' from The Greatest Showman. The performance combined both in-person and virtual recordings. (Mariah Giberson/The Union)
The IW Choir performed 'From a Distance.' (Mariah Giberson/The Union)
Clayton Henriksen and Jeremiah Carter performed a 'Wayne's World' skit. (Mariah Giberson/The Union)
IW President Chris Plunkett joined Jeremiah Carter for the 'Wayne's World' skit to talk about the new partnership with Southeastern Community College. (Mariah Giberson/The Union)
IW Jazz Ensemble performed 'Comin' Home Baby.' (Mariah Giberson/The Union)
Brooklyn Yeater sang 'Temporary Home.' (Mariah Giberson/The Union)
Blair Buffington and Dave Van Ness provided some Muppets-style comedic relief between performances. (Mariah Giberson/The Union)
Much like the title of the variety show, the IW Choir & Co performed the High School Musical hit, 'We're All in This Together.' (Mariah Giberson/The Union)
The IW cheerleaders performed their routine, 'Cheers to You!' (Mariah Giberson/The Union)
'Donna and the Dynamos' made an appearance during the variety show. From left to right: Lena Henriksen, Cait Saunders and Ella Francis. (Mariah Giberson/The Union)
