The Bonnyville Society Singers hit the books this week in their special springtime concert, School Daze, a comedic and melodic show presented on the Lyle Victor Albert stage from April 28 – 30.
The choir opened the show with “Mother Goose Madrigals,” a nostalgic re-imagining of classic nursery rhymes, and by the end, they had covered a motley collection of sentimental favourites harkening back to the days of textbooks, teachers, and spelling bees. Celebrating everything scholarly, they serenaded the audience with songs ranging from “The Homework Blues,” “I Hope the Teacher Won't Call On Me,” and “Be True to Your School.”
A few members stepped forward to showcase their vocals with solos and duets, and the group closed the show off with “Don't Stop Believin'” and an encore presentation of a mash-up of “School's Out” and “Brick in the Wall.”
The Singers formed 23 years ago, and this show has been in the works since August, when the music was selected. From there, the music was arranged and composed, and practicing started for the choir in January.
Aside from their springtime show, the Singers also do Remembrance Day and Christmas shows, as well as little shows at Long Term Care and Extendicare.
“Last year, we were asked to sing ‘O Canada' at the hockey game,” said Gene Sobolewski, who directed the School Daze show. “Primarily we're just a group of people who like to goof off and sing and perform.”
The singers range in age from 16 to their late 60s, and according to Sobolewski, membership is pretty open.
“If they can sing in the shower and they feel like singing in a group, they're in,” he said.
“I've only met one person in my life—and I've been playing music since I was 17 years old—who literally couldn't sing. Everyone else can and they're more than welcome to.”
As for the show, Sobolewski summed it up with, “We had fun, and we're just hoping people enjoy it and come out and watch us.”
