Every high school fine arts department that wishes to increase its bottom line has to find a niche fundraiser.
For years Bellerose Composite High School ran the flamboyant Mambos and Mocktails, a benefit concert that morphed into a much-anticipated event. This year the Bellerose fine arts department has simplified its annual Christmas fundraiser with Jazz, Carols and Coffee on Friday, Dec. 9.
But it was a decision forced upon them through a business fluke.
“The company that rented us the mocktail maker sold it. When we realized we could no longer get a mocktail maker, we decided to mix it up,” says music director Karen Labahn.
The benefit concert will continue to showcase an exhibit of the school’s top visual artists, and the musical theatre arts students will provide a sneak peek of their February production Sweet Charity.
What’s different is that the GOALS class is running the coffee machine and the bake table and they’ll be selling tempting desserts.
“They’re fundraising to go to a fun camp in the spring.”
For Labahn, pulling together a two-hour concert with 20 musicians has been a big job.
“Initially when you see only 20 kids, you’re surprised. But you adapt and the kids who show up are incredibly committed so it always works out.”
And the student musicians have a strong motivation for puttin’ on the ritz. In addition to entertaining the crowds, they are fundraising to go to the Anaheim Music Festival, a five-day event to be held at Disneyland in April 2012.
“We’re also recording in Disneyland. We get to do a soundtrack underneath animation. They provide a sight track and we put a compilation together. The recording process will be a good educational process for them.”
At the Christmas concert, the band is kicking it up a notch with some good old-fashioned standards such as Louis Prima’s Jump, Jive and Wail, Cab Calloway’s Minnie The Moocher and Miles Davis’ All blues Classic Jazz.
The 17-member mixed choir revs it up with Tuxedo Junction.
“What’s really fun is that there’s a bunch of guys this year who are really enthusiastic. They’re going to be doing a tongue-in-cheek Monty Python number Always Look on the Bright Side of Life.”
In a nod to Glee, the students are pulling out Time Warp from Rocky Horror Show, and a mash-up of Toxic, Bad Romance, Express Yourself, Telephone and Single Ladies.
And finally Labahn hopes a carol sing-along will set the seasonal mood.
“Anybody who comes will get some good jazz, some Christmas tunes and lots of enthusiasm just to get you in the Christmas spirit.
Jazz, Carols and Coffee is at Bellerose this Friday, from 7 to 9 p.m. Admission: $5 at door.
