Newton Senior High School presents Café

Are you a live music junkie and in need of a fix? Then Newton Senior High School has you covered. This Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m., NHS will present Café 2013 in the Center for Performance.

This year’s show will be emceed by a trio of NHS’s most gifted female students who go by SAM. SAM is short for Sydney Bergman, Anna Lothe and Micaela Sciarotta.

Café also will feature performances from the jazz band, directed by Jim Beereneds, and the jazz choir, directed by Norm Grimm.

“Basically it’s a variety show,” Beerends said. “There will be 12 acts, 10 of which were auditioned for. About 24 or 25 groups auditioned to be a part of the show, and Mr. Grimm and I chose 10 to perform.”

“It’s an all-school talent show,” Grimm added.

Other than assisting with the rehearsals and the auditions, this show is organized by students.

“It’s a completely student-run thing,” Beerends said. “They get to do all the work, which is really pretty cool. Kids are running the lights and sound, We conduct our two groups, and the rest is the kids.”

“This is the kid’s show without guidance,” Grimm added.

Katelin Klyn will perform with her friends as a percussion quartet.

“My buddies and I really like to put together an odd percussion ensemble and to showcase our talents and show (them) to people,” Klyn said of why they signed up.

Elizabeth Pearson is taking a more vocal route with her performance.

“I’m singing the ‘Black Swan.’ It’s an opera song,” Pearson said. “I’ve always enjoyed singing, and I have been doing it since I was little.”

Pearson added she is looking forward to SAM emceeing the event.

Matt Rewis is one of several students who will be playing acoustic guitar at Café.

“I’m playing ‘Angelina’ by Tommy Emmanuel,” Rewis said. “I’ve been playing guitar since the seventh grade, and I’m a senior now, so right around six years. It’s expressive. That’s what I like about it. You play how you feel. I’m looking forward to hearing everyone else play. It’s real exciting.”

In addition to the singing and instrumental aspects of Café, Vinnie Hoskins and Tim Stammeyer will do an improv skit, which could be a sneak peek of the speech team’s upcoming sister event called “Decaf.”

Café will take place at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday in the NHS Center for Performance.

Staff writer Ty Rushing may be contacted at (641) 792-3121, ext. 426, or at trushing@newtondailynews.com.