MAPLEWOOD — The house was full for the second edition of the MAPSO Family Follies Talent Show, which included serious singing, humourous dancing, unicycling riding, juggling and comedy.
The evening was presented by the Maplewood Department of Arts and Cultures and co-produced by Tori Chickering and Sybil Rogers. Auditions were held in October and all were invited to try out though there were two rules: No acts longer than three minutes and no solo performances. Chickering wanted to encourage creative collaboration, hence the ban on solos.
Chickering, as emcee, was the heart of the show. She used a variety of her own talents, singing, joking around, and roller skating in a chicken costume.
The Studio 509 Flash Dancers opened the show, doing 1980s jazzercise moves to “What a Feeling.” They took the audience back to the ’80s with their vibrant neon-colored outfits and leg warmers.
Next up was Abby Sher, Sloopy, and Sam Lynch, who requested audience participation to make up an improv parody song—on the spot—to the tune of “Love Theme” by The Love Unlimited Orchestra.
The Ames Gang, Teddy and Sasha, was a father/daughter team performing “In the Shallow.”
Chickering joked with them, asking Teddy, “When did you meet your daughter?”
Teddy happily replied, “2010” which obviously was the year she was born.
Chickering introduced CC’s Cool Cats as “an act near and dear to my heart.” Continuing she said, “I grew up watching tap dancing to MGM movies.”
Carol Cornicelli, Sheryl O’Connell, and Mary Wilde made up CC’s Cool Cats and tap danced to “Made You Look.” Cornicelli teaches tap at SOMA Adult School. This was their debut.
Dressed in hippie attire, the SOMA Pop Choir performed “California Dreaming” with the break done on kazoo.
Before the next act, Chickering came onstage and began singing “La Vie En Rose.” But she was interrupted by an anonymous backstage stagehand who shouted out, “No solos!” reminding her of the rule.
Chickering reiterated that, yes, it is a collaborative effort and called an anonymous person from the audience, who she didn’t name. The mystery lady, who turned out to be Jen Rondeau, performed “La Vie En Rose” while Chickering made theatrically expressive gestures.
The next performance, Chickering described as “A group of friends, neighbors, spouses…The craziest whack-a-doos you’ll see in this town.”
Chrissy McIntyre, Ridley McIntrye, Katy Chapman, Joe Giannone, Sheryl O’Connell, Hannah Sorkin, and Ken Sorkin sang “Birdhouse in Your Soul” by They Might Be Giants. They cleverly recreated the surreal elements used in the song’s 1990 video, which were open to interpretation, but possibly evoked images of oppressed factory workers. The dark imagery was a contrast to the upbeat tempo of the song. At the end of their performance, they threw candy into the audience.
Cassandra Wyatt played keyboards as Bryan Hardaway belted out “Alto’s Lament.”
Broadband & Friends performed “Get Together” by The Young Bloods.
Bill Talley played piano and sang “Singing in the Rain” with Chickering, who was now dressed as a chicken and on roller skates.
Willow Katz and Marie Joseph, who are eighth grade besties, did an interpretive dance to “Strawberry Rush” by CHUU.
Anushka Pimplaskar and Dylan Graham performed “Until I Found You.” Graham was on keyboard and both sang. Their voices blended beautifully. The two met in elementary school and sing together at Columbia High School.
Next up was a father/daughter team, who were making a return appearance in the show; Sun and D.D. Jackson. Sun wrote hundreds of songs and just put out an album two months ago called “September Fridays.” It’s available on all music platforms. D.D. Jackson is a multi-Emmy Award winning composer. Together they created magic
on Sun’s song, “Fair Friend” which is on her album.
One of the highlights of the evening was the Lipman Family Circus riding on unicycles. They were also repeat performers.
The Studio 509 Flash Dancers returned to the stage to perform “Maniac.” But this time they also danced frantically in the audience. Some audience members joined in.
And then the entire cast sang “That’s the Glory of Love” as the finale. For the final round, the lights went on and the audience was invited to sing along.
Families, friends show off their talents added by Maryanne Christiano-Mistretta on
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