After 17 hours on buses, five trips and months of rehearsals, West’s junior varsity and varsity show choirs Showtime and Good Time Company have wrapped up a long list of competitions. Following their first performances at Works in Progress, the Winter Swing Show and Choirs for a Cause, both groups have found success across the Midwest.
Showtime’s theme this year is “Level Up,” featuring a program of songs themed around video games. GTC complements it with a “Minecraft” theme, performing music from Minecraft and “A Minecraft Movie,” as well as songs that emphasize the game’s creative spirit. Behind the scenes, the two groups are assisted by West’s show crew and accompanied by the show band.
Opening the season, Showtime and GTC traveled together to the Muscatine River City Showcase Jan. 17. Showtime earned a second place finish in the prep division, and GTC landed fourth in the Division 4A’s Open Class competition. In the race for the final championship, GTC earned fourth again, along with Best Band.
The following week, GTC drove up to Wisconsin for the Sauk Prairie Invitational, where they competed Jan. 31 after spending a day at Wisconsin Dells. Out of 17 teams from the Midwest, they placed second in finals, and also won Best Vocals and Best Crew.
Both choirs competed next at the Norwalk Nexus competition, hosted Feb. 7 at Norwalk High School. Showtime placed fourth in the prep division, with singer-dancers Otis Miller ’29 and Lorelei Nordquist ’29 earning Outstanding Performer awards. GTC won second in the finals, with a first-place finish in the open class and Outstanding Performer recipients Connor Wagner ’28 and Haley DeMeulenaere ’28.
GTC performed next at Washington High School in Cedar Rapids Feb. 14. At the MOShow competition, the group placed third in the open class competition and fourth in finals.
Showtime and GTC finished off a successful lineup of competitions with the Dutch Masters Invitational in Pella Feb. 21. Showtime took first place in the prep division, with soloist Mar Nourski ’29 earning Outstanding Performer. GTC swept Division 4A, winning first place, Best Vocals, Best Choreography and Best Band. Their Outstanding Performer was Abby Lee ’27. In finals, GTC won Best Vocals and Best Choreography again before taking the title of Grand Champions at their last competition of the year.
Show choirs closed the curtains on the year with the Spring Swing Show March 1, performing both programs and displaying students’ solo and group acts. Fourteen seniors were recognized at the show. Auditions for next year’s season will be in mid-March.
