The THS Polyfoniks perform in the 10th annual dinner theater at 6:30 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday in the THS cafeteria with the theme, "The Colors of Music." All songs relate to a color like "The Pink Panther," "Yellow Submarine" and "Blue Skies."
The concert raises money for the students' trip to the 36th annual "Dickens on the Strand" celebration in Galveston Dec. 5 and 6. The holiday festival reinvents the 19th century cityscape with live street musicians, a parade, food and vendors. The Polyfoniks will perform Christmas carols in Charles Dickens-era costumes at the historic Tremont House Hotel.
"It requires them to learn a large amount of music," said THS choir director Ken Stanton. "And they're representing Temple High School."
The students will perform for the 10th year at the festival, which draws about 20,000 people.
The 18-member ensemble will wear colorful outfits at the dinner theater, singing the W.C. Handy classic "St. Louis Blues," the Doobie Brothers' "Black Water" and "Black Bird" by John Lennon and Paul McCartney. The girls will perform a medley, including "Sing a Rainbow," "The Rainbow Connection" and "Over the Rainbow." The boys will sing and dance to "Little Red Riding Hood" and Elvis Presley's "Blue Suede Shoes."
The Polyfoniks, one of six choirs and ensembles at THS, formed in 1968. Students sing secular pop, rock, jazz and country songs. Stanton requires auditions and looks for singers who also have stage presence since performances include choreography.
Mostly new students comprise this year's ensemble with 17-year-old senior Trenton Schneiders as the only returning member. He said he started singing in the shower and didn't join the Polyfoniks until last year after seeing a dinner theater performance.
"I decided that day that I needed to be a part of this," Schneiders said.
He'll do a solo performance of Cyndi Lauper's "True Colors," a song that he chose since his mother used to sing it to him when he was little.
Other solos and duets feature songs like "The Emerald City" from "Wicked," "Brown-Eyed Girl," "When the Stars Go Blue," "The Green Dog," "Golden Slumbers" and "Bein' Green."
Senior Chelsea Heitman, 17, has always been involved in choir but joined the Polyfoniks this year to participate in a smaller group.
"It's a more personal feeling," she said. "I met people that I didn't know very well."
The Saturday night dinner menu includes lasagna, salad, bread, dessert and drinks, and tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students. The $5 Sunday dessert theater includes a brownie sundae. Tickets are available from the THS choral department.
IF YOU GO
WHAT: Temple High School Polyfoniks "The Colors of Music" dinner theater
WHEN: 6:30 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday
WHERE: Temple High School cafeteria, 415 N. 31st St.
ADMISSION: $5-$10
