While snow lightly fluttered down on the evening of Dec. 13, MVHS Madrigals invited family and friends to their second annual holiday feast – with a show.

“A Madrigal dinner is like a dinner theater show, like Medieval times but with choir,” explained Madrigals director Mr. Collins. “It’s very similar to a musical: there’s a play, and then there’s singing.”

The extracurricular choir group that specializes in Renaissance music upped their game from last year with their event that took place on the auditorium stage. Audience members were lead to their tables after having entered on a red carpet lined with candles and Christmas trees, and then under a decorated archway that magically transported them back to the Middle Ages.

“When you celebrate these traditions, you touch people in their heart, and I think that’s a wonderful gift we can give to our community,” said Collins, who had also directed a Madrigals group at his last school.

Putting on the Madrigal dinner and concert at Metea proved to be slightly more difficult considering the fact that it was their first time performing such a show. “There is a lot of work that goes in to establishing the traditions, and just explaining what everything is,” said Collins. “The previous year we had a mini-concert with a dessert reception; to go into this full production in only a year is really uncommon in schools, to make that leap so quickly.”

In order to put on the impressive performance, the Madrigals were going to need a lot of preparation.

“Before tech week we only rehearsed twice a week for an hour and a half. Many schools that put on Madrigal dinners have this as a class,” said Collins. “Furthermore, plays or musicals typically rehearse every day after school for two hours, so we’re working with very limited time.”

To make up for it, Madrigal singers found themselves after school for at least six hours every day the week before the show.  “We learned over twenty songs, it’s quite a lot of stuff to memorize,” said junior Emilija Morkunaite. “Sometimes we get out early,” said Collins. (“Or late,” Morkunaite added. “But it’s really fun so it’s all worth it.”)

Along with memorizing the difficult music, students created their own script to put the songs in context, written primarily by senior members Alyssa Gibbas and Rose Thompson. “Certain people will have certain anachronisms to their characters. Last year we created our own characters; this year they’re more based off of our own personalities,” said senior Eric Durkin. Following the premise of being members of a high court who learn the true meaning of Christmas, each singer remained in character, even when mingling with the audience during the meal. “Witchcraft! Get that thing away from me,” screamed the members of the group when faced with a camera.

Parents of the singers assisted backstage with make-up, hair, and costume as well. “Out of all the activities I’ve been involved with at MVHS, this had the most parent volunteer and support I’ve ever seen. Four or five moms were here every night too, serving us dinner and helping with the set,” said junior Alex Knoll who played comedic relief during the show along with junior Casey Cramer.

“We are the wench and the jester,” explained Cramer, pointing at the breadcrumb-dandruff in her hair and the exaggerated make-up on their faces.

The various components of the show also demanded the need to time out the dinner service. Students from drama classes and Tri-M came to help backstage to serve the food.

“We just try to make sure everyone enjoys a good time, a good meal, and good friends,” said head food supervisor Angie Vasquez, who helped organized the meals.

By Andrea Lin