What is the Variety Show? The OHS Variety Show is an annual showcase giving our kids the opportunity to perform on stage in front of their families and friends. Many acts choose to dance to a song, but we’ve also featured singers, musicians, sports demonstrations, comedy acts and more! Kids can perform solo or in a group.  

I'm new to the OHS Community, tell me more - we would love to! Join us on Zoom September 16 at 7pm where we can give you an overview of the show, we will show clips from previous years, and you can ask questions. 

My child wants to participate but we don't have a group. What do I do? - Reach out directly to parents of your child’s peers to identify existing Variety Show groups in their grade. If they have less than 10, it means there is space for your child and you should be able to link up.

If, for whatever reason, you’re having trouble finding a group, email the committee and we will help place your child. Email ohsvarietyshow2025@gmail.com

We are looking for stage crew and narrators - if your 4th or 5th grader is not interested in being part of an act and still wants to participate, stage crew or narrators are alternate options of involvement. Email us by 10/7 with your child’s name and preference. Not sure what sort of commitment or what exactly these roles entail? If you have questions or would like more info on either, please feel free to email us or to attend the informational Zoom on 9/16.

Interested in joining the Variety Show Committee? - We are looking for help creating the photo slideshow which opens the program, someone to create tickets, and someone to spearhead the program. Please email us if you can help! We will likewise have more opportunities for involvement the week of the show. 

Talk to me about key dates: 

September 16, 7:00pm - Optional Zoom Meeting - this Zoom is geared towards families that have never participated in the Variety Show and don’t know what to expect. Parents of potential narrators / stage crew who have questions are likewise invited to attend. You can join the Zoom here.

October 7 - Register your group by emailing ohsvarietyshow2025@gmail.com. You will need a list of all members, the class they are in, and everyone must be a PTA member for insurance reasons. (Ex: Elizah Rozzelli, 3R; Jamie Stayer, 3B; Ella Jennings, 3G - all verified PTA members. Group name: Star Dusters). Groups should not be larger than 10. If your group headcount is an issue, please feel free to contact the committee.

October 14 at 12:00pm - Song Submissions - This date was chosen because it gives groups 12 full weeks once their song is determined to use however they choose. Some will begin practices immediately. Some won’t begin practices until January. You do you, boo! But let’s get those songs decided.

• Grades 4-5 as in years past, song length can be up to 2 minutes 30 seconds
• Grades K-3 - song length can be up to 2 minutes (the committee encourages our kindergarten/1st grade participants to keep it closer to even 60-90 seconds. Please note, this time constraint is new. We’ve noticed how hard our younger friends work on their routines and we want to take the pressure off! We want them to have fun at practices, not feel like dance zombies. Let’s put them on stage, keep it short and easy, and then celebrate them). Trimming our allotted times will likewise help reduce overall show time. 

November 12, 7:00pm - Optional Zoom - on this call we will discuss what is and is not permitted re: props, lighting, and stage directions. If you’ve already participated in the Variety Show multiple years then feel free to skip it. Newbies or those with creative prop ideas are encouraged to attend so we can get a jump on hammering out your needs.

December 9 -  All Act Information is Due - that includes lighting requests, costume color, stage directions, props - we know this month is manic. We are sorry. The committee will spend the winter break writing the script and production notes and as such, needs all of these details from you ahead of time. 

Week of December 9 - Ticket Sales - Again, we hate adding something to your plate this month. Part of our motivating move to January was more ticket availability but we can’t wait until January to make sure we are covered here. With 500+ more tickets this should not be an issue but we want to make sure we are prepared.

December 16 - Deadline to upload your music to Google Drive; group picture and final group name are due. 

January 6 - in years past, we've asked OHS students to submit art for the Variety Show program. It's a wonderful opportunity for children who are not involved in the show to participate. All of the submissions are then posted in the main office window so kids can peek at them on their way to and from lunch. This January date gives the kids winter break to work on their submissions. Art should be done on white paper in a black sharpie (regular or fine point, both work) 

January 23 - Sound Rehearsal and 5th Grade Finale Practice 

January 24 - Dress Rehearsal

January 25 - Showtime! 2pm at the Klein Theater, 910 Fairfield Ave,  Bridgeport 

***About the January date - we didn’t mean to create a stir at the start of the year. We just feel strongly that since this is a school-wide program, that everyone in the school be able to attend. We had to turn away students who weren’t in the show who wanted to go watch and support their friends last year. It was such a bummer. It was also completely bonkers making sure immediate family of performers all had tickets. The move to the Klein gives us more seating and hopefully we are all very happy with this change. If we try it and decide Black Rock Church is in fact a better fit, we can always revisit this. 

QUESTIONS?

Reach out to the Variety Show Committee at ohsvarietyshow2025@gmail.com

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