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Canfield students bring ‘synergy’ to the arts
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Neighbors | Abby Slanker.Canfield High School’s Canfield Players presented a dynamic performance of a variety of original artistic pieces in during its second annual “Synergy of the Arts” Jan. 7.
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Pianist Aaron Graneto performed his interpretation of “Canon in D” based on previous performer Alex Manos’ rap song during the second annual “Synergy of the Arts” Jan. 7 at Canfield High School.
By ABBY SLANKER
Student members of the Canfield Players provided a dynamic performance of a variety of original artistic pieces in the Canfield High School auditorium during its second annual “Synergy of the Arts” Jan. 7.
Singers, poets, dancers, filmmakers, songwriters, painters, seamstresses and a cake decorator shared in the performance. The students had to follow specific parameters when developing their original creations and could use any art form they wanted.
In September, the students signed up to work independently or in a group and were told they would have one week to come up with their creation once it was their turn. The first group then opened a special fortune cookie with a phrase that was to serve as the inspiration for their creation.
At the end of the week, this group then performed their finished product for group two. Group two then had only that performance to use as their base to build their own artistic performance. At the end of the week of preparation, they performed for group three, and the chain continued throughout the fall with a new group creating something each week. There were a total of 17 groups of students.
Dancers influenced fine artists, who in turn served as the inspiration for a film and then a song. Only students in the first group were aware of the words that kicked off the whole process, having read the fortune cookie and each group had only seen the previous group’s finished project.
During the “Synergy of the Arts” performance, all the students were clued in to the original phrase and were able to see the chain of performances.
The students were under the supervision of Becky Heikkinen, Canfield High School guidance counselor and Drama Club adviser.
“I am very impressed with these students. The neatest thing about this production, to me, is that due to knee replacement surgery, I was out of school for the past seven weeks and the students were responsible to carry on this process on their own and they did a phenomenal job. I am also pleased with the large crowd and their support for the show and the performers,” Heikkinen said.
Performers included, in order, Carly Magnuson and Amanda Myhal, actors/writers opening the show with a skit; Bailey Sandin, videographer; Danielle Goddard, Brianne Rothbauer, Karlina Valley and Natalina Valley, songwriters/musicians with their original song “Carpe Diem” based on their interpretation of Sandin’s video; Bella Gullia, Spencer Saylor and Beau Kuhn, songwriters/singers/guitarists performing their original song “A New Life Around the Bend;” Emily Gianetti, pencil artist; Jennifer Morris, poet; Haley Holt, artist; Megan Factor and Viv Favre, dress designers; Leanna Hartsough, dancer; Zach Abraham, Beau Kuhn, Jake Tancer, Michael Seifert and Calin Solomon, songwriters/musicians; Nathalie McClune, digital artist and animator; Alex Manos, rapper; Aaron Graneto, pianist with his interpretation of “Canon in D” based on Manos’ rap song; Laura Tinkler, dancer; Olivia Roy and Hayley Ward, pianists/singers performing “My Way” with inspiration from Tinkler’s dance; Amanda Freedman, poet and Olivia Johntony, cake decorator with inspiration from Freedman’s poem.
The show was a fundraiser for the drama club, and proceeds will go toward the spring production of “Anything Goes.”