On Oct. 8 at 7:30 p.m., Behind the Scenes Club, an organization of parents and students who support the drama, film and technical theater departments at CHS, will host its 4^th annual talent show to showcase the variety of flairs within the CHS student body. Acts range from singing and dancing to break-dancing and performing card tricks.

“It always amazes me that the kids get better every year. And every year I think, ‘Wow, how can we top this?’ and then we top it,” Susan Smith, Behind the Scenes Club treasurer and director of the talent show, said. “There’s always something new and different. The kids are great this year. There is some really, really stellar talent.”

What makes this talent show, Behind the Scenes Club’s largest fundraiser, different from others of its nature is its People’s Choice Award. Audience members vote during intermission for three acts. Two other acts receive the Judge’s Choice Award. All winners receive a $100 cash prize.

“That means if you bring everybody on your block and all the members on the swim team, and they all vote for you, you could be kind of average and still win,” Smith said. “Three of the winners are going to be pure popular vote, and you just never know who is going to bring in all of their friends and neighbors.”

Sophomore Michael Rubeiz, who received the Judge’s Choice Award last year for his piano performance, will compete again this Friday.

“The piano piece I’m performing is Minute Waltz by Chopin. It’s a quick piece; it’s pretty simple. It goes in ABA format—a quick part, a slow part and another quick part, and it’s just a really entertaining piece,” he said.

Rubeiz, who has been playing piano for nine years, said he practices just half an hour a day.

“I still get nervous. I try to practice the piece on the ground, like on the floor before performances just to make sure I have it down in front of people. And when I’m nervous, that’s just the way I counteract it,” he said.

Yet, Rubeiz said he is pretty confident for Friday’s performance.

“I’m pretty confident,” he said. “I’ve been practicing the piece everyday and only this piece just to make sure I have it down.”

Although Smith declined to make any predictions about the outcome of the show, she said one audition stuck out in particular.

“I’m kind of partial to Harold, the yo-yo kid only because I’ve seen him perform before, and he was going to do it last year, but he got the flu. H1N1 hit right in the middle of the talent show last year, and so Harold did not get to be in the show last year because he had a 104 (degree) fever,” she said. “So I was glad to see him come back this year and get another chance at it.”

In addition to Rubeiz, this year’s acts include the following performers and groups: “412,” consisting of Jeffrey Chen, Hoyoung Choe, Emma Schmidt, Andrew Tang, Robert Cater, William Chen and Jim Chen; Sarah Brocker; Kari Baker; Madison Brunner; Clayton Collins and Mitch Ginder; Vincenza Russo; Jackie Londino; Mason Yao; Keana Mowery; Shawyon Baygani; Emily Atkinson; “Hide Ya Kids, Hide Ya Wife,” consisting of David Zheng, Daniel Li, Richard Phan, Ray Qian, Leo Kim, Megan Ting, Jessica Chiang, Antoine Galliday and Tate Riner; Alexandra Dierckman; Brandon Smith; “Manyana,” consisting of Fred Stark and Danny Lukovic; Kevin Krauter; Harold Owens; Chaoyu  Zhou; Jessamyn Anderson; and “Impact,” consisting of Ben Booher, Michael Wimer, Taylor Holloway, William Chen, Kyle Ferdinand and Christopher Weaver.

“The Talent Show is a great deal of fun, and I’ve always received positive feedback from the audience,” Smith said via email. “One gentleman didn’t know any of the students in the show, but just came to see what it was about. He was very impressed with the quality of the entertainment and has returned every year.”

Both Rubeiz and Smith said they are looking forward to Friday night’s show.

“I hope that we have a great, big packed house full of people and that everyone walks away going ‘Wow! Carmel High School’s got talent!’,” Smith said. By Melinda Song <[email protected]>