On Friday, September 13th, the Benet Theatre Association presented its first event of the 24-25 school year, the One-Act Showcase. The event took place in St. Daniel’s Auditorium.  

The show consisted of two short, student-directed plays, done by seniors Joseph Abboud and Angela La Gambina, in addition to 18 songs from various musicals, some being solos and some being ensembles. No two scenes were exactly the same, which kept the audience engaged for the entire 90 minutes of the show. It opened with an ensemble performance of “9-to-5” from the musical of the same name, done by juniors Audrey Olejnik, Sylvia Haldorson, Erin Tribe, Leah Huie, and Eli Brunzelle. With the fast-paced choreography and catchy song, the audience could not have been less prepared for the next act: the gorgeous and heartwarming “Journey to the Past” from Anastasia, sung beautifully by senior Jocelyn Jeka. 

Other highlights from the show included: the jazzy rendition of “Beautiful” from the Carole King musical, also called “Beautiful”, by senior Sarah Gillette, the tear-jerker of “Some Things Are Meant To Be” from Little Women, done by seniors Clare Cabay, Hannah Baer, Allison Perrino, and junior Molly Bremner, as well as the energetic performance of “Candy Store” from Heathers, by seniors Ellie Beck, Ellie Hoel, and junior Eli Brunzelle. 

The show culminated in the fourth and final performance of the all-girl group of seniors Rylie Cieplak, Elizabeth Davidson, Mary Panatera, Jocelyn Jeka, Sarah Gillette, and Gwen Heimburger, a group that has performed in every single showcase since their freshman year. For their final showcase, they sang “Ex-Wives” from Six. Reflecting on how her last four years in the group, Mary Panatera said, “Me and my friends got to do our group number every year, and it was so fun to see our growth from little freshmen to talented seniors. It’s awesome to see how we have progressed so much.” The showcase undoubtedly highlights the talent the Benet Theater Association has to offer.