The drumline hastily picked up the pace of their rhythm. With each bang of the drums and cymbals, the crowd became more entranced.

The song ended with a final pound.

BANG!

The drummers threw their sticks to the ground and walked offstage with the cymbal players, and the crowd erupted in a storm of thunderous applause. 

The drumline demonstrated one of the many talents showcased on opening night of the White & Gold talent show on March 3 in the auditorium .

The show’s diverse performances created an array of emotions, but comedy stood out as the dominant mood, fitting in well with the Late Night Talk Show theme.

The performers were enthusiastic before the show began.

“[I am] definitely confident and excited to perform for Beachwood,” senior performer Jack Spero said.

“I hope everyone does well on stage, and I believe everyone will … [since] I’ve [already] seen all the acts,” Spero added.

Senior Gabe Shapera, who was one of the directors, reflected on his feelings after the show.

“[I was] super-excited for opening night…Everyone was super-prepared to put on a great show for Beachwood,” Shapera said.

The show began with an introduction in which senior director Andrew Feldman pretended to give his usual morning announcements, but midway through, he mentioned  White & Gold, which prompted the cast and crew to flood the stage.

Performers were introduced, and a few smirks and snickers quickly established the mood of show.

Act 1 began with the drum line, performed by seniors Harold Dupree, Andrew Feldman and Jack Spero, along with freshmen Seth Rosky and Joe Spero.

A more straightforward act was the ballet routine by sophomore Melondy Shen. Her performance began mysteriously with the curtains opening to her lying on the ground, but once the music started, her talent became apparent.

Shen impressed the audience with the architectural grace of her dance. She achieved a seamless continuity between her dance moves and the music.

The crowd was moved by the beauty of her dance, as evidenced by the  thunderous applause she received at the end.

The show didn’t lack for touching moments.

Most notable was the Ryan Warner Tribute, in which junior Jack Berkowitz played his guitar and senior Whitney Bellephant sang a cover of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah.

Bellephant’s ability to sing high notes with beautiful clarity left the audience stunned during the slower, more heartfelt parts of the song. Paired with Berkowitz’s gentle strumming, the song was touching and tugged on heartstrings.   

The song left almost everyone on the verge of tears as it faded away.

Another touching performance was You Raise Me Up, performed by freshman pianist and singer Eric Golovan, senior sign language student Rose Hersh and freshman singer Paisley Truitt.

The song is rich with deep feeling, but the emotion was intensified by Golovan and Truitt’s ability to perfectly sing a harmonious duet.

Truitt’s soft voice provided a sense of innocence and mercy, while Pruitt’s confidence on the high notes helped to create an uplifting mood.

Golovan’s ability to achieve seamless continuity between his singing and playing earned him well-deserved respect.

The song ended with the fading voices of the duet and background music. There was a moment of silence followed by loud applause from the audience.

Act 2 saw the show choir, Solid Gold, providing a more uplifting and cheerful theme. They sang and danced  to various theme songs from shows like Friends and The Addams Family. The performance was gleeful and carefree, and provided a lighthearted moment in the midst of more serious acts.

One of the more interesting acts was a yo-yo routine by seniors Cameron Haynesworth and Daniel Ma, known together as Yo-Yo Ma. Their outstanding dexterity with their yo-yos awed the audience as they kept pulling more tricks out of their hats.

The most stunning moment of the duo’s performance was when they flung their yo-yos at one another and caught them about half a dozen times. Their tricks were received by hoots and hollers from the crowd.

The show ended with a cover of Donnie Trumpet and the Social Experiments’ song Sunday Candy by an ensemble cast of seniors who call themselves A&M Beats. It was a great way to end the show on a positive note that even had some audience members singing along.

After their performance, Andrew Feldman said, “White and Gold this year was an incredible performance.”

”(My) only regret was the moderately low turnout,” he added.

The spectators that did come had a great time.