It's the Best Year for BGHS Expressions Show Choir

Expressions will put a topper on their season when they put on "Big Show," opening Thursday night in the school’s auditorium.

“Our theme this year is ‘Let Us Entertain You’ and I hope that is what we will do,” said Deborah Utley, show choir director. “Audiences will see our Fall Show, Comp Show, our new Big Show numbers from Rock & Pop, On Broadway, and Under the Big Top.  Many soloists will also be featured.” Show-times are 7 p.m., Thursday, and 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday.

This year has been a memorable one for the 38-member show choir, topped off recently by winning the Grand Champion trophy at Showchoir Nationals in Nashville, TN.

“This has truly been the best year.  These students have been incredible,” Utley said. “The senior leadership has been unmatched --they are truly extraordinary.  The chemistry of the group has been amazing.  I don't want this year to end; I've never said that before!”

With the end of school in sight, finals looming and the weather turning nice, it would be easy for students to lose focus. Not so with the Expressions, she said.

“These students want to be excellent.  They are dedicated to the discipline it takes to achieve excellence,” she said.  “They are dedicated to The Expressions and I am honored to spend all this time with them.”

Rehearsals for “Big Show” began right after the show choir’s competitive season. “We start the day after our last competition and work for 5 - 6 weeks,” Utley said.  “It gets difficult when the Spring Musical rolls around: we have to take two weeks off.  But we average about 10 - 15 hours a week.”

The Expressions recently were picked to compete with three other Chicago area groups to take part in an ABC7 Show Choir showdown May 16-20. Wheaton-Warrenville South High School’s Classics, Sound Check from Waubonsie Valley High School, and Crete-Monee High School's Cavaliers also will compete. A different choir will perform Monday through Thursday morning of that week during the ABC7 News Morning Show.  Viewers will vote online from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. on Thursday. A trophy will be awarded to the winning show choir during the live broadcast on Friday at 6:50 a.m.

The Expressions will be featured on the morning show, before a cheering student body in the school auditorium, after 5 a.m. Tuesday, May 17.  In between news, traffic, and weather segments, there will be brief interviews, and performance snippets.  Near the end of the broadcast, approximately 6:50 a.m., the Expressions will perform live.