Classnight: A Night to Remember
As the winter break came to a close and students returned to school for the new year, Lynbrook transitioned into one of the most hectic and exhilarating times of the school year: Classnight season. At the start, each grade elected two chairs to lead the charge in each of three categories: overall, art, and Sportsnight. However, dozens of students in each grade help out with scenery, costumes, choreography, and the writing and performance of the skit.
Each year, the skits are chosen and written to reflect one central theme. This year’s theme was “Home is where the heart is.” The freshmen performed a rendition of Shrek, with the sophomores pulling off their version of The Wizard of Oz. The juniors took everyone on an underwater adventure with their performance of The Little Mermaid, and the seniors performed their comical yet heartfelt production of The Muppets.
The freshmen kicked off the night’s festivities by putting their unique twist on the story of everyone’s favorite ogre. After a dinner party gone wrong leaves Fiona storming out in a fury, Shrek must set out to win her back. With the help of his best pal, Donkey, Shrek fought off the evil Lord Farquaad and was reunited with his beloved Fiona. The highlight of the skit was the final dance-off between Shrek and Farquaad, which served as the grade’s boys’ dance and enlisted laughter and cheers from the crowd. For the freshmen, simply getting through Classnight unscathed was a victory. Freshman Julia Swerdin put it best: “It was really overwhelming especially since a lot of the freshmen did not know what to expect. I did enjoy getting the chance to talk to more people in my grade that I normally wouldn’t.” The freshmen have plenty to look forward to for their performances in the future.
Coming off the heels of their Smurfs-inspired performance last year, the sophomores looked to hit the ground running this year to truly wow the judges. Rallying behind overall chairs Maeve Mooney and James Gilmartin, the grade worked tirelessly day and night to perfect this year’s skit, The Wizard of Oz. The classic story of the girl from Kansas who just wants to go home was brought to life by the wonderful personalities of the Wicked Witch of the West (Ricki Rizzo), the Cowardly Lion (James Gilmartin), the Tin Man (Luke Zaromatidis), the Scarecrow (John Bertolini), and, of course, Dorothy (Alicia Villadiego). The sophomores chose to convey the theme by explaining why–despite all her fun adventures in Oz–Dorothy still chose to return home to Kansas: She realized that home is where we all belong. Mooney was extremely pleased with the turnout of the performance: “My Classnight experience for the second year in a row was much better! I learned a lot and knew what must be focused on. My favorite dance was the girls’ dance because it looked great with the rainbow costumes, and it was so much fun being a part of it.”
After last year’s second-place finish ahead of the current seniors, the Class of 2020 looked to steal the spotlight once again and swipe the coveted Classnight trophy from right under the seniors’ fingertips. Building on their inventive and whimsical portrayal of Scooby-Doo last year, the juniors brought the audience on a trip under the sea with their spin on The Little Mermaid. The chairs, Jolie Sebel and Donovan Molinaro, oversaw the production. Impressive performances were given by Ethan Renz (Prince Eric), Kara Vito (Ariel), and Djellza Pulatani (Ursula). Despite her wicked trickery, Ariel realized that Ursula just wanted to come back from exile and be with her family. The entire gymnasium was wildly entertained when the juniors unveiled their kickline, who used fluorescent lights and inventive costume design to pull off what Sebel described as “one of the best kickline dances in recent memory.” As Renz explains, “Class Night this year was a great experience! My [skit family] was always fun, [and] we had a great time practicing. Overall class night this year was an awesome experience and there’s no doubt that I’ll definitely be back next year!”
After being defeated last year, the seniors certainly upped their game, but it was clear to everyone present that the Class of 2019 was there to have a great time, win or lose. Led by chairs Kiersten Aroksaar and Islam Purisic, the seniors put on an especially impressive performance of the The Muppets. After losing the rights to their theater, Kermit (Richie Wiater), Miss Piggy (Sam Barbato), and the rest of the Muppet gang decided to put on one last show to go out with a bang. The defining feature of the performance was Wiater’s heartfelt rendition of “The Rainbow Connection,” which was both impressive and emotional. The seniors also received recognition for their impressive artwork and creativity on the box, for which they won first place. In the end, the seniors staved off the juniors’ efforts, clinching the Classnight title by a mere nine points, one of the closest competitions in recent history. The seniors were thrilled at how they were able to come together in the end. As senior Angie Chirchella explained, “I loved how we all came together as a grade and all had so much fun at our last Classnight. It was very rewarding to finally win our senior year.”
Although each grade put on impressive performances, only one could be crowned the victor. With the freshmen and sophomores respectively winning fourth and third place in every category, the most anticipation lied with the juniors and seniors. While the juniors earned first place in the categories of dances, costumes, props, banner, and scenery, the seniors were awarded first place for box and skit, which held the highest point value and gave them the needed push for their victory.
With Classnight officially in the rear view, many can all look back on the events with fond memories. For the seniors, it will be especially bittersweet, as going out with a victory a great triumph, but knowing their Classnight careers have ended can be upsetting for some. As for the Classes of 2020, 2021, 2022, they are already prepared to put on an even more unforgettable show next year. Before we know it, it will be time for Classnight 2020!
