St. John Brebeuf 5th-8th Graders Present the Spring Musical, American Pop Forever, May 2008

Recently, upper grade students at St. John Brebeuf School participated in a spring concert held in the Parish Ministry Center.  The students performed a choral revue called American Pop Forever which featured popular music from the 1950s thru the 1980s.  Some of the hit songs students sang included Jailhouse Rock, Blue Suede Shoes, Baby Love, Heard It Through the Grapevine, Boogie Fever, Y.M.C.A., and Eye of the Tiger. 

The students sang and danced in the style of each decade, and even dressed in the fashions of each era.  One of the shows highlights was when the 7th grade students pulled people out of the audience to join together singing Y.M.C.A.  All students in grades 5-8 closed the show with an American Pop Forever remix featuring songs from each decade in an exciting finale. 

The parents and audience members enjoyed hearing some of their favorite songs, and St. John Brebeuf students had fun learning the music and styles of earlier generations.  As one student said at the end of the performance, “Today’s music cannot be defined by any one style or idea, but one thing is certain, American popular music is the music of the people- yesterday, today, and forever!”

St. John Brebeuf Students Participate in the Talent Show, Sponsored by the Student Council, May 2008

The SJB Student Council presented the 2008 Talent Show recently.  This is an all-school program.  All students from kindergarten through eighth grade are invited create an “act” and audition for our program.

Our Talent Show is the product of our students.  The Student Council runs the faculty judged auditions and then creates the show.  Lights, sound, staging and announcing is handled by the eighth grade Student Council members.

This year, participants included the entire Kindergarten and First Grade.  Highlights ranged from kindergartener, Jimmy Murphy singing Frank Sinatra’s “Fly Me to the Moon” to our own eighth grade rendition of the Backstreet Boys; “The Wackstreet Boys.”

Students shared their many talents as the audience enjoyed ethnic dancing from Ireland and India, guitar, harmonica and piano playing, and singing, as well as choreography that included breakdancing and a “hand game.”

Our 2008 Talent Show concluded with our with our lively and talented eighth grade band, the “Aristocats.”

Altogether, twenty-eight acts were involved in this year’s show. Thank you to everyone who took a chance and shared their many gifts.