Last Friday night saw the annual Regional Center for the Arts’ Unplugged performance. This concert consisted of multiple performances from the music, dance, and theater departments all together for one show. The interesting part, however, is that each of these performances were put together by students without the direction of staff. The house was filled with family, friends, and even some former students all eager to hear what the show had to offer.
The event lasted around an hour with two halves and a short intermission between them. The first half consisted of the music and theater performances with songs such as Stevie Wonder’s Whereabouts and Bill Withers’ Ain’t No Sunshine. There were even some solo performances which the audience adored and felt a true connection to the performer.
The second half consisted of the dance performances which in its own had a multitude of genres choreographed by the student’s themselves, as well as a few more theater performances. The lights and sound systems were also handled by students who created a spectacular environment for each individual performer. There was also a backstage crew managing the set for the stage. The energy in the room was electric and the audience was loving every second of it, the fellow performers even cheering and clapping along with the audience after each performance. Dr. Anthony DeQuattro, head of the RCA music department said,
“What I like best about unplugged is that it is a performance that features students from every department. They support each other and cheer each other on. Experiencing this performance from the house is thrilling, but experiencing it from backstage is heartwarming and inspiring.”
While also providing students with the opportunity to perform something meaningful to them on a stage for an audience, the event also supported the POPS scholarship. The scholarship is something put together by the school that raises money for graduating students planning to pursue the arts in the future. The event was wildly successful in raising money for the scholarship and saw a multitude of donations, some upwards of 500 dollars, throughout the night.
Overall the night was a large success. There was an array of fantastic performances from students in a multitude of departments and the audience was electric the entire night. RCA’s Unplugged event happens every year and is both available as an in person event as well as an online live stream so please make sure to check it out and support the event next year.
Masuk Free Press 