I’ve seen the lights go out in Pequa

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Provided by Ilena Dempsey

The show must go on: Family and friends light the way to a great concert

Question: What happens if the lights go out in a high school auditorium full of parents, students, and teachers during a musical performance?

Answer: Magic.

Students of Massapequa high school’s elite ensemble, the Chordettes, didn’t let a power outage stop their concert.

On Tuesday May 30, in the middle of a song, the lights in the auditorium suddenly shut off when a transformer blew out. Instead of stopping, students sang on and ignored the abrupt darkness. The piano didn’t skip a beat, and the girls continued to sing their hearts out.

“The sudden blackout was scary at first,” Choral Director, Mrs. Ilena Dempsey said. “Fortunately, our accompanist, Craig Coyle, had a battery operated piano light! He kept playing, and the chordettes kept singing. The entire audience lit up the auditorium with cellphone lights.”

Ironically, the chordettes were performing Dancing Queen by Abba, which contains the lyric, “and the lights are low.” These lyrics sent the audience into laughter and applause.

Sophomore Molly Guarton, a member of the Paparazzi orchestra—the group which played before the incident—was seated in the audience when the lights went out. “We were all a little freaked out but automatically everyone turned on their flashlights,” she said. “It was a matter of seconds before we all created our own light for the concert.”

The audience was a big part in helping the Chordettes continue their song. Most can agree it was an unforgettable night.

In the stage control center above the back of the auditorium, stage crew members at first thought it was their doing. Sophomore Dan Wahl, the leader of the group and lights controller, said that the sound board had crashed first and then the lights shut off. The group rushed to shut down the boards so that they didn’t break.

Although in the face of difficulty, the Massapequa community was able to get through it. One power outage won’t let determined students give up. Like Mrs. Dempsey said, “The show must go on!”

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