By Chris Spangler
Fort Atkinson High School was filled with the sound of music when its show choirs hosted the 2023 Fort Showcase Friday and Saturday, Feb. 10-11.
Fifteen mixed-gender groups, three women’s groups and two middle school groups competed in the 27th annual show choir invitational organized by Fort Atkinson’s South High Street Singers, Lexington Singers and Fourth Street Singers.
The event was sponsored by the school district in partnership with the VOICES vocal music parent organization, in the gymnasium and auditorium.
Over the course of the two-day event, 23 show choirs performed. On Friday, two middle school choirs competed and the Fort Atkinson Middle School show choir, the 4th Street Singers, performed in exhibition.
On Saturday, 18 high school choirs competed on stage, along with the South High Street Singers and Fort Atkinson High School Lexington Singers performing in exhibition.
Named grand champion was Mundelein High School’s Sound, from Illinois, which also received Best Vocals, Best Choreography, Best Band and Best Bass Soloist honors.
Executive Session from Sauk Prairie High School was named first runner-up, while Neenah High School’s Vintage took home second runner-up and Best Treble Soloist honors.
Also placing were the Janesville Craig High School Spotlighters, third runner-up; Monona Grove High School’s Silver Connection, fourth runner-up; and Mayville High School’s Cardinal Singers, fifth runner-up.
In the Women’s Division, winners were Sauk Prairie High School’s YTBN, first place; Green Bay Preble High School’s Rendezvous, second place; and Milton High School’s Octave Above, third place.
In the Prep Division, winners were Neenah High School’s Act II, first place; Mundelein High School’s Reverb, second place; DeForest Area High School’s DeFortes, third place; and Brodhead-Juda High School’s Guys and Dolls, fourth place.
Also participating were Surround Sound from Bettendorf, Iowa, High School; the Southwest Spotlight Singers from Green Bay’s Southwest High School; the Choraliers from Reedsburg High School; Vintage 2023 from Neenah High School; Choralation from Milton High School; and Center Stage from Green Bay’s Preble High School.
Middle school competitors were the Crescendos from DeForest Middle School and Soaring Sound from Sauk Prairie Middle School. Soaring Sound placed first with Best Vocals, Best Choreography and Best Soloist honors, while the Crescendos placed second.
Judging the show choirs were Craig Engstrom, Dallas James Pritt, Peggy Strimple, Jamie McMahon, Matt Knutson, Justin Steger and Jennifer Wiczer.
Each participating show choir was given a classroom to store its belongings, unwind and get ready for the performances.
All competed in a preliminary round, with the typical performance running about 16 minutes.
Before their performance, choirs spent 25 minutes in a warmup room, where they found the same staging configurations as those provided on the main stage in the gym.
After their preliminary round performance, groups were able to spend 25 minutes with a clinician who offered suggestions to enhance their performance. In the final round, each group named a finalist delivered the same program, likely having incorporated the clinician’s suggestions.
The auditorium was used for the soloist competition Saturday and middle school show choir competition Friday.
Members of the Mundelein High School Sound of Mundelein, Ill., leave the warm-up room enroute to the gymnasium for their Saturday afternoon performance. The Sound was named grand champion, and also received Best Vocals, Best Choreography, Best Band and Best Bass Soloist honors.
Two photos above: Milton High School’s Choralation performs at the Fort Showcase Saturday afternoon.
Milton High School supporters applaud their school’s show choir, Choralation.
Three photos above: Jamie McMahon of Los Angeles, Calif., critiques the performance of Choralation of Milton High School. Each school’s show choir had the opportunity to meet with a professional clinician, with finalists likely incorporating the suggestions into their final performance.
Three photos above: Center Stage, a show choir from Preble High School in Green Bay, performs for an enthusiastic crowd.
Showcase participants fill the Fort Atkinson High School commons Saturday afternoon. Show choir members and supporters could purchase food and T-shirts, as well as rest up before and after performances, there. At right is the line for entering the gym for the next show choir program.
Trophies take center stage in the Fort Atkinson High School commons during the Fort Showcase show choir invitational.
Three photos above: Members of Fort Atkinson High School’s South High Street Singers and supporters wait their turn in the warmup room prior to the show choir’s exhibition performance. Directly above: Leah Kincaid, from left, Maddie Klauer and Lexi Rottmann, are among performers waiting their turn.
Fort Atkinson show choir members applaud Sauk Prairie High School’s Executive Session as the choir leaves the warmup room on its way to perform in competition in the gymnasium.
Members of Vintage 2023, a show choir from Neenah High School, enjoy lunch in the Fort Atkinson High School commons during the Fort Showcase.
Three photos above: Show choir and band members in Fort Atkinson High School’s South High Street Singers walk down the hallway to the gym for their exhibition performance.
An audience-packed gym prepares to be dazzled by a show choir performance. Attendees in the bleachers shine cellphones, creating twinkling lights while awaiting the South High Street Singers’ exhibition performance.
Five photos above: The South High Street Singers present a variety of songs with costume changes during an exhibition performance at Fort Atkinson High School. The choir’s repertoire included “Escapist/Creatures of the Night,” “Ramalama Bang Bang/Hoodoo Voodoo Doll,” “Beautiful Delirium,” “Hungry Like the Wolf/Hot Blooded” and “Bring Me to Life/Crawling in the Dark.”
Band members provide music for the South High Street Singers during the show choir’s exhibition performance.
Two photos above: The standing-room-only audience gives the South High Street Singers a standing ovation after the Fort Atkinson show choir’s exhibition performance.
Chris Spangler photos.
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