Interregnum IX performing arts competition brings many media of artistic expression
The tape has been cut. The old fashioned rock and roll has stopped. "RR Films" wavers on the screen, and Performing Arts is off to a riveting start with the House of Ronald Reagan’s parody of Taken. Case #77 portrayed John McKinney as a psychotic patient believing his “wife,” Christina Carter has been kidnapped. “Dream On” streamed in the background in true Reagan fashion with fast-paced, dramatic scenes.
Barton goes next, dramatically retelling true stories of tension-filled situations dealing with the idea of duty. Hope Chavez retold her duty to a friend in a destructive relationship, asking when she would regret her decision to be silent.
Rebecca Marshall cried out as a daughter who cannot understand her mother’s sense of duty, as her mother in turn does not understand hers.
Truth started out with 1950s-era-How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying dancing housewives, explaining how duty is a tension: two or more legitimate goods pulling in different directions. The modern American woman feels this tension the most, they told us, as the dance turned to the working girls and then the modern business women bursting in on the “9 to 5” song. It concluded that women decide what is most important by what they value, according to God's individual plans for each woman's life.
Ten Boom, decked out in long prairie skirts, gathered around Megan Stoll and sang a mash up of Mumford and Sons, Les Mis and the children’s song, “Trust and Obey.” The mix of modern and classic songs was framed by a soft harmony. The theme of duty was integrated into all the songs, ending with the line: “I gave you all.”
Brandon Santulli channeled his inner Agyness Deyn , joined by Seth Parks and Daniel Poeana as (very convincing) cross-dressing western women. A chorus of traditional bow-tie sporting Churchillians sang as Sean Spurlock jumped on stage as the cowboy-sheriff hero. “The Ride of the Zombie Sheriff” was a crowd favorite. The lip-syncing Brandon Trotter killed the cowboy, the reaper arrived; Sheriff Spurlock rose from the dead. The infamous horse head made an appearance, and Spurlock destroyed the bad guys as his adoring women stood by. “Justice always survives," ended the story.
Thatcher did a Mean Girls spoof featuring narrator, Cady Heron (Kelly Cannon) arriving at King's as a transfer. Meredith Drukker played King’s royalty, Regina Gorge, whose main concern this time was the King's dress code, rather than fashion. “On Wednesday, we wear blazers," she cooed to Cady. We need to respect the school we enter, by adhering to dress code. After all, “How hard is it to dress bis-cas? Gawd."
Next, a chorus a Bonhoeffer men surrounded Jake Dinsmore , singing a duty-fied version of “I Want It That Way” by the Backstreet Boys. They moved on with their own unique interpretation of Tom Petty's, “Free Falling,” preferring duty over girls with the line: “I’m a bad boy cause I don’t even want them.”
The most “creative” minds of the House of Queen Elizabeth I gathered to discuss their inability to come up with a good idea for the performing arts competition. The film subtly poked fun at previous years' competitions and the various quirks at King’s. The women explored the theme of duty to their House to come up with the best skit for preforming arts, all while making a fervent attempt to exclude Kara Bettis.
Once upon a time, in the world of Lewis, Simba left The Lion King. Prince Charming and Aladdin also decided they wanted to switch lives. When Clayton (Charming), Jerone (Simba) and AJ (Aladdin) realized they didn’t like the change after all, they compelled the narrator, Josh Hanson, to break his role and intervene. He told the characters if they left their stories, the narrative would be broken and thus the story would be ruined. He communicated that the characters' duty to their respective stories was to be in them.
The House of Susan B. Anthony incorporated modern dance skill to convey the pain of lovers' separation in war. Old photos from WWII flashed on a slide in the background as Josh Garrel’s song, “Ulysses” played overhead.
The stage has been played. The waiting for the verdict begins.