Gallery • 14 Photos

Aubrey Hall

Alison Lanning (10) and Alena Akse (10) perform a rendition of the song, "Can't Help Falling in Love." Though Akse was not a part of the one act, she performed several times beforehand, showcasing her skill on the ukelele. Lanning, who was part of the play, has been singing since she was in elementary school.

Theater is among the largest clubs in the Manitou School District, sporting multiple first place awards for their one act performances. The group has entertained the district for years with their many other annual plays. This, of course, does come at some cost. That is where the Coffee House program comes into play. On February 6, the theatre department joined with the Coffee House Program to broadcast their play while showcasing other talent within the school. It was of little expense to those who wished to view the performance. Costing the adults a mere $4.00, and current students an even less at $2.00, it certainly does not break the bank to watch.

Honestly, the show was worth far more than the entry fee alluded to, featuring not only an award-winning showing of “The Last Illusion,” by the drama club, but also included a variety of musical numbers.

The Coffee House kicked off with Alena Akse(10) on ukulele and Allison Lanning (10) on vocals,  collaborating on a unique variation of “Can’t Help Falling in Love With You” by Elvis Presley. Simply put, it was phenomenal. The entirety of the viewing audience thoroughly enjoyed the song, and did so for good reason. It was remarkably well done. Immediately after this, Akse took part in a second musical number, this time with Paxton Wolfe (10) on the flute.

This one was especially interesting from a musical standpoint. They performed an instrumental rendition of the classic song “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” Again, the entire audience was entranced by the unusual but beautiful harmonization of flute and ukulele. I certainly consider it
the highlight of the entire night, due to its originality and the level of professionalism in the music. Following this came two more songs by Hannah Kimmett (12) and Maya West (10). This accapella-type performance featured only the two singers, a small maraca, and a miniature tambourine.

The combination of these four elements made for an extremely intriguing sound, the likes of which I have never quite heard before. It too was a very well done performance merging professional sound and entertaining stage presence. These were all within the first 30 minutes of the hour and a half show, however. The main attraction, the event that drew most people to come to the Coffee House, was the One Act play.

I personally had already seen the performance twice prior to the common public showing at the Coffee House. I can honestly say that I enjoyed it just as much the third time as I did the first. The acting was unbelievable. If you’d like to learn more about the One Act, please check out this link: https://mshsprospector.org/7397/arts-entertainment/preview-the-last-illusion-pays-homage-to-houdini-through-magic-and-drama/.

All in all, the Coffee House was a huge success. It was not only a great help in funding the drama club, it also made the day of all the attendees. It was very professionally done, and was the kind of event that all schools should strive to be able to host.

Watch the full video here.