Imagine yourself sitting on one of the theater seats and watching as the lights dim, the curtains open, and the two people. The hosts introduce themselves as Bella and Sophia and greet you. Welcome to the Santiago 2024 talent show.

Our host introduced our first act to the stage. Kianoush Alavi took his place on the stage. Kianoush was on the saxophone and played the ‘Vang Saxophone Sonata.’

Our second act of the night was another duet. Instead of playing music, the duo danced to it. Travez and Meya came onto the stage and displayed their incredible hip-hop dancing skills.

Up next was Sofia Calavella’s. She is a sophomore at Santiago. She sang ‘Valerie’ by Amy Winehouse.

Sofia’s lengthy performing background inspired her to participate in the talent show. She has been performing since she was four. This year, she has even made it to regionals and all-state choir.

To inspire the readers’ lives, Sofia said: “Always find a way to challenge your anxiety by trying new things because it can teach you a lot about yourself, your abilities, but especially your limits. You are always more capable than you think, so challenge the anxious thoughts with actions. If you’re struggling to get out there, the choir would be an amazing place for you because choir offers a warm welcome in a chaotic world.”

Bryant Zhang was our second solo act of the night. He displayed his violin-playing skills to the audience when he came on stage.

We’re halfway through the talent show now, and Maria Cruz was next up. She sang ‘Home’ from Beetle Jouce, the musical.

And for our sixth performance, Jackson Bennett sang ‘Fantom of the Opera’ from the musical.

For this solo act, Zayuri Bermudez sang. The song she performed on stage was ‘Dreamer’ by Laufey.

This was the third and final duet. This time, Maria Cruz made a second appearance with her friend, Ayden Hyun. They sang ‘A Night To Remember’ by Laufey and Beabadobee.

Maria Cruz decided to try out for the talent show because she also did it her freshman year with her sister. She said, “I had an excellent experience. And this year, I’m doing it with my friend to show everyone we have a good friendship.”

For the next act, we had another solo, which Leonardo Giacalone performed. He played his electric guitar and sang ‘Slow Dancing in a Burning Room’ by John Mayer.

He said he came on stage because it was an accessible environment, and he got to perform for his friends. He advises readers to “take advantage of as many opportunities that present themselves to you as possible.”

And for the final act of the night. Mariah Moreno. She was last but not least. She was another solo act and played her electric guitar. The song she played and sang to was ‘Skyfall’ by Adelle.

This sophomore decided to perform because she would be exposed to a large crowd. She wants to get used to performing in front of people to prevent herself from getting nervous because she wants to become a musician and an actress.

Intermission/ The Winners:

As the evening passes, time is almost up, and intermission ends. Finally, we are ready to announce our three winners.

<– The first to be announced was the winner of third place. In the first act, Kianoush Alavi played the saxophone to the ‘Vang Saxophone Sonata.’

–> He might be a freshman, but Leonardo Giacalone was announced as the second-place winner. He was the second to last act, and he sang ‘Slow Dancing in a Burning Room’ and played his electric guitar. “I was not expecting to make the top 3, honestly.”

In the first place, we have Mariah Moreno, who sang ‘Skyfall’ while playing the electric guitar.

Her hard work paid off. She won first place at the talent show. “I feel so honored to be one of the winners. So many talented people were there, and I made new friends backstage. It was a great feeling. Thank you, God, for giving me this opportunity and blessing me with many more to come. Thank you to everyone who saw the show, and thank you for the endless support from my family. Thank you, Leo, the other guitarist who performed in the talent show, for letting me use his amp because mine stopped working during my mic check. Without his generosity, I wouldn’t have been able to perform. I had a great time performing, and I’m so grateful. But I’m not focused on the competition or winning; I’m more focused on the art I can produce for the world. And hopefully, that’ll be something I’m known for in the future. Maybe on stage and definitely in the movies.”

If you enjoyed the performances, why not see the talent show next year? Invite a friend, and you might even sign up to perform yourself.