-John M. Valdez, PPAG Reviewer

In a play or conversation if more than one person speaks at the same time is noise and rubbish. But with music you can have many at the same time and its beautiful. So Peter Shaffer has Mozart say in his award winning play and movie Amadeus. This night of music was just an example of what he may have had in mind. It was a great night of Orchestra, Band and Choir, each student showing his/her talent no matter what instrument they were using.

The near capacity crowd flooded the brutally hot auditorium at South High School to honor the talent and hard work of Pueblo’s finest young musicians. They were not disappointed at all. The night although very hot was a wonderful musical experience. The show opened with Bonnie Norton, Pueblo City School’s Fine Art Specialist giving introductions and audience expectations. I only wish the annoying giggly high school student and her equally chatty and immature mother sitting in front of me had listened and followed Bonnie’s instructions.

-John M. Valdez, PPAG Reviewer

“Give a Hoot, Don’t Pollute.” Are you old enough to remember this Woodsy Owl campaign? I remember as a child having a great coloring book with Woodsy, I loved it. Today kids are far more complex, far more educated, and dynamic. But they can still be swept away by a good book, and owl story.

This year’s “All Pueblo Reads,” music concert promoted the wonderfully rich story of a group of students who are fighting to save an owl sanctuary from a greedy restaurant developer. Carl Hiaasen’s book “Hoot” provided the perfect backdrop.

The Pueblo Children’s Chorale opened its 16^th season with the show, “Sweet Sixteen…What a Hoot” along with guest choirs from South Mesa Elementary and Centennial High-School. South Mesa, the first choir to take the stage set the mood fro the night of fun.

By John Valdez, PPAG Reviewer

“Somebody get me a donkey and a manger.” That is one of the countless hilarious lines from Dan Goggin’s 1985 musical Nunsense. Nunsense is the second longest running off-broadway musical in history. The Steel City Theatre Company’s production opened last night at Central High School. The large and excited crowd was quickly pulled into the show by the characters talking to, and interacting with them. This breaking of the fourth wall continued throughout the show. The audience, it turns out is attending a fund raiser for the Mount Saint Helen’s Catholic School.

We find out that sadly prior to the show the school’s cook, Sister Julia “Child of God” has killed all but 19 of the entire convent with tainted Vichyssoise soup. The remaining 19 were lucky enough to have been paying but being cheated at bingo, “If she had only called I-19.” The convent had the money to bury the 52 nuns. However after 48 of them had been put into the ground the Reverend Mother used some of the funds to buy a VCR. So until they can raise the money to bury the remaining four nuns they are being stored in the schools freezer.

The dance corps were appropriately named as each and every dancer was a gem; Diamond, Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald; as well as the Creative Movement class and the Little Dreamers. The dances ranged from very young to 18, including several advanced performers who have a foreseeable future as professional dancers.

The energy in the theater was high with excited performers and their families and friends, the music was appropriate for the audience and each and every performance from the breathtaking ‘Circle of Life’ all the way to High School Musicals’ ‘All In This Together’, were beautifully performed and fun to watch. There was even a segment where two sisters were pulled into the magical world of the Disney Princesses, and welcomed into some of the most beloved stories many of us had grown up on and some new stories.

A highlight of the performance was the knowledge that the Diamond Corp dancers were graduating and moving on, as well as a performance their instructor presented to the girls and their parents, complete with a slide show that gave the entire audience a glimpse of how this performing ‘family’ grew together and was truly touching. The graduating dancers showed great skill throughout the performance and guidance for the younger performers, and I hope to someday see more from each and every one them.

If I only had one word to summarize this performance, it only seems apropos to do so in Disney tradition, Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!