Dinner Show is a great experience that has given me and many other music students confidence and great memories.

The first step toward Dinner Show is figuring out who we are going to sing with and what song we are going to sing. Students usually aim for contemporary music, and some students perform exciting theatrical pieces. For my groups last year, my friends and I talked for days about what songs we wanted to sing; we finally decided on “Africa” by Toto and a fun parody of the “12 Days of Christmas” called “12 Bad Auditions.” We then taped a note on Mr. Philgreen’s door asking for the proper number of copies of each song. Then, just like Santa Claus, Philgreen found the music and put it in our music slots for us to find in the morning.

The music is supposed to be memorized for auditions, so it is crucial that we set up practice times with Mr. Philgreen to rehearse prior to auditions. This can be a challenge because of how busy most of us are, but Mr. Philgreen works around our schedules so we can find a time for everyone. The amount of time and work Mr. Philgreen puts into working with us for Dinner Show is amazing. He is always looking for new ways to explore students’ talents, such as adding musical instruments to performances. For the “Africa” group I was in last year, he even found music from another Toto song and arranged it with “Africa” to spice up our number. West Delaware is extremely lucky to have someone who cares so much about the students.

Before the audition, we have to start thinking about our attire. This can range from jeans and a dressy shirt to a bedazzled prom dress—depending on the song. When it comes time to try out, it can be nerve racking, but I always know that Michelle Philgreen will greet me with a friendly smile during the audition. Afterwards, we wait to see if we are selected to perform. If so, we jump right back into rehearsing with Mr. Philgreen.

Performing for Dinner Show is such a unique, awesome experience—we get to pick the song, add instruments if we want, coordinate outfits, and show it all off in front of our friends and family. I’m not one who necessarily loves to be in the spotlight, but Dinner Show pushed me to step out of my comfort zone, and I have had a blast while doing it. The Philgreens have a great program going on, and it doesn’t go unnoticed. It’s great seeing the community out there supporting us as well.

All in all, Dinner Show is a great experience that has given me confidence. I’m so lucky to be a part of all the amazing opportunities we have at West Delaware and to have such a strong community backing us up.