On Monday, September 29, Rangeview’s finest competed in Once Upon a Talent Show, showcasing their best songs, dances, and more. Each contestant brought a unique piece to share with the rest of the student body, ensuring the audience was captivated all evening.
From Disney ballads to traditional dance, there was a large selection of performances for judges to consider. Elli Schott’s “I’ll Make a Man Out of You” and Sergio Ramirez’s “Hellfire” were great takes on the Disney theme, while Summer Williams’ “The 30th” and Faith Cervantes’ “He Sees You” tugged at heartstrings. Davin Marlow and Brandon Slawski expertly demonstrated their guitar skills. Finally, Color Guard showed off an excerpt of their Homecoming dance. These were excellent displays, showing the scope of ability Rangeview can offer. However, five particular acts stood out as the strongest of the night.
Junior Mari Rivera stunned audiences with her rendition of “The Challenge” from Epic: The Musical. Fully dressed in makeup and costume, Rivera channeled her creativity onstage. Her theatrical demeanor and powerful vocals brought goosebumps to everybody who could listen. Although Rivera didn’t place, her incredible performance was beautiful to watch and deserves an honorable mention.
Third place tied duos Kayla Dozier and Doyin Jaiyesimi, singing a duet, and Henok Yeneneh and Rebecca Shawul, doing a traditional Ethiopian dance. Dozier and Jaiyesimi channeled their inner royals with “Love is an Open Door” from Frozen. Their performance was full of wit and talent, using their humor, acting skills, and vocal talent to deliver a largely entertaining act. Yenneh and Shawul, on the other hand, showed their culture in a fantastic display of physical talent. This extensive, captivating dance used multiple songs and audience engagement to make it particularly notable. Both parties were equally full of talent and happily recognized on the podium.
Kaydence Peacock and Kassidy Carroll took second place with “Space Between” from Descendants, bringing the already wonderful song to life. Just like Mal and Evie, the characters who sing the song, the duet expressed their strong connection through music. Their skills were exemplified in this performance, successfully meshing natural talent with emotion, and their second place was absolutely worth it.
Hosts Naomi Tamajong and Mia Barajas brought energy throughout the night, allowing the audience adequate time to digest the previous act and prepare for the next one. Their charisma and chemistry on stage made them perfect hosts for the night. On occasion, additional acts were featured as well. Elliana Wright gave standup comedy a go with a long-winded, two-part joke, complete with donuts, that left the audience in confused disbelief. Eden de la Cana Alcala sang “Dos Oruguitas” from the movie Encanto as the judges scored. His stunning performance made many emotional and was an incredible choice for the final act of the night.
Finalizing a winner was a difficult task, especially with so many incredible individuals on stage. However, one Syrus Sweetwine was crowned the winner of Once Upon a Talent Show, with an original rap titled, “Manage Change.” This rap took the audience through Sweetwine’s life, detailing his inner conflicts and how he overcame them. His message of being yourself and choosing to grow is something every student can relate to. Sweetwine is full of immense creative talent and was incredibly deserving of his first place.
Rangeview is filled to the brim with creatives and talents of all kinds. This show portrayed just a fraction of the amazing people within the school, and was a fantastic way to start off Homecoming Week.
