Sky View’s Encore will put the music in you

Image: Max Benson in the opening number

Max Benson in the opening number (Corey Burger)

Sky View’s musical ensemble Encore hosts it’s annual performance in this year’s “You are the Music in Me.” With music that covers multiple decades from the twenties on to contemporary hits this year’s Encore performance lives up to the high quality entertainment that we have come to expect from Sky View performances.

Encore is made up of just over thirty performers, and includes group performances, dance numbers, and soloists of a variety of flavors.

A few notable numbers include the fun ditty by the men, “If you’ve Only Got a Moustache;” a rousing rendition of “Build Me Up Buttercup” by Lincoln Wyatt; an always entertaining bit of tap dance by Mr. Sky View, Grant Fuller; A piano duet by Lindy Clegg and Hannah Walker; and so much more.

Brock Christian Wilson has been a major player in many of Sky View’s productions, as a singer, dancer and actor. This year Wilson had a solo in the Encore production singing, “I Miss the Mountains.” Wilson says of his time performing, “The incredible thing about participating in theater shows, and productions is being able to put your problems from real life aside, and just focus on the energy and helping the other people to feel happier about life. At the end of the day that is what performing is all about.”

Wilson is a senior and lists a child part in “Fiddler on the Roof,” when he was in the eighth grade, and his role as Cogsworth the singing, talking, clock in this year’s musical “Beauty and the Beast” as his favorite roles.

Wilson is heading towards schooling and a career in journalism, but has plans to stay active in community theater after high school.

Max Benson is also a key player in many of Sky View’s performances. He speaks fondly of his time in the many productions that he has been in commenting, “I love all of the performances at Sky View! There is always so much quality in all of these performances, and there is just so much energy. This is an experience that I will never forget.”

Benson brought a candle to life as Lumier in “Beauty and the Beast.” Benson says, “I am so incredibly thankful and lucky to be a part of such incredible shows. I’m so happy to be with such a great cast and work with such an amazing faculty.”

Benson noted that “Beauty and the Beast,” and “Wizard of Oz” are the two favorite productions that he has been associated with.

A senior, Benson plans on doing plenty of community theater after graduating this spring. His favorite part of participating in these productions is the joy and happiness that he sees in the faces of those in attendance.

Cassidy Winn, is a sophomore who counts this year’s Encore production as her first performance at Sky View. A lovely young lady with a singing voice to match, Winn seemed very comfortable in her performance. She showcased her golden vocal chords in her solo number “At Last.”

Speaking of her comfort level performing Winn said, “Actually it was not very scarey. I was scared a little bit in the beginning, but it’s such a great song and you can almost feel what she is saying; so you just kind of get into that mood of what she is saying and it was a lot of fun.”

When asked if she planned to continue to do more shows at Sky View Winn said, “Yeah, I really love Encore, so I’m going to try to do it again because this is one of my favorite events of the entire year.”

Commenting on her favorite part of these shows Winn continued, “Oh, the look on peoples faces in the audience is the best! Knowing that we can make people happy for even five minutes is totally worth all the rehearsals.”

Cache Valley residents will have one more chance to see the Encore show on Monday, March 26th, the Encore cast will put on their brilliant costumes, warm up their vocal chords, and lace up their dancing shoes, for the 7:30 p.m. show to be held the Sky View auditorium.