Suffolk University holds an annual Spring variety show that all students and Suffolk performing arts groups are able to audition for. This night of talent is held at Royale Nightclub right in downtown Boston! This year the hosts Laurel Gozzo, Mason Lafferty, and Anthony Pellecchia caused the audience quite a few laughs and introduced each talent as they entered the stage.
The opening number ‘Seize the Day’ from Newsies, has the talent of soloists Casey Williamson, Jenna Locke, Mason Lafferty, and Laurel Gozzo along with Rampage Show Choir, W!cked, and Tip Tap Toe. This meant a lot of students were seen on stage, and while it may have been crowded, everyone was having fun. The ending featured three “party tricks”, a tapper doing spins, a fan kick, and a Rampage member flipping another one!
Image credit: Dan Mchugh Photography
Right before intermission a Suffolk faculty/staff band, The Suffolk Shufflers, brought the entire audience to their feet with an amazing rendition of ‘Old Time Rock and Roll’ by Bob Seger. President Marisa Kelly was in the audience with her wife and was rocking out with an inflatable guitar handed to her by event staff. These guitars were thrown into all of the audience and gave them a chance to really rock out with the band. In the balcony, the student performers were having just as much fun dancing around with their friends and seeing the talent that the Suffolk staff has. It was a surprise, but perhaps the best highlight of the night.
To start off the second act, company soloists Rebecca McAuliffe, Jenna Locke, Julia Josephine Di Girolamo, and Amanda LoCoco performed ‘I See Stars’ from the musical Mean Girls. With them were the PAO groups Soulfully Versed, Pasion Latina and Suffolk University Dance Company. This piece was truly beautiful, and each soloist had an extremely powerful voice that had the audience in a trance through the entire number.
Image credit: Dan Mchugh Photography
In addition to these massive group numbers, many PAO groups and a few soloists were able to showcase their talent. Suffolk University Dance Company performed a routine to ‘Waves’ by Dean Lewis. Personally, I was in total awe of the precision and emotion they brought to the stage. The Ramifications also performed a fun cover of ‘How to Be a Heartbreaker’ by Marina and the Diamonds. This song made many of the students super excited and wanting to sing along from the balcony. Every group and independent act to perform was full of raw talent, and it was so exciting to be able to see what everyone had to offer.
The closing number includes every performer through the entire show either on stage or performing in the audience to end the night on a high note. Soloists started off ‘You Can’t Stop the Beat’ with energy (and sequins!). A highlight of this number was that one of the soloists did the entire number in a wheelchair and was pushed around by soloist Casey Williamson so she could still have her shining moment in the show despite her injury. Every performer of the show appeared in this song either on stage or in a circle surrounding the audience. The night ended with bows and a thank you to the band, technicians and the Suffolk faculty who made the night possible.