43
Choir hosts first Madrigal Feast
Photo
Neighbors | Sarah Foor .Lady Amber Bohac (left) and Lord Nick Hura finished their toast with a "Huzzah! Drinkhale" as they sipped traditional Wassail punch during the Jan. 13 Madrigal Feast.
Photo
Neighbors | Sarah Foor .During Boardman High School's first annual Madrigal Feast, lords and ladies sang and entertained as they also served a delicious meal to guests. Lord John Harris (left), Lady Alyssa Beeman, King Justin Haun, Queen Ashley Cunningham, and Lady Amber Bohac finish the traditional welcoming carol "Masters In This Hall" during the Jan. 13 event.
Photo
Neighbors | Sarah Foor .During their meal, lords and ladies visited tables to ask how guests were enjoying their meals and also entertained with silly medieval-era jokes. Lord Alex McClellan (left) entertained a group with his lady, Isabella Iures (right).
By SARAH FOOR
Guests to Boardman High School on Jan. 13 were transported back in time to the medieval era, complete with a court of lords and ladies, for the school’s first Madrigal Feast.
Linda Smrek, a new music teacher at Boardman High School, dreamed up the feast to offer a unique opportunity for her choir students.
“A Madrigal feast really teaches the students to fully entertain. Students are serving a delicious feast, while also sharing songs, puppet shows, poetry, dancing, and a bit of humor. This is serving as a major fundraiser for the choir and I’m happy that with today’s event, we’re using our talent to raise money for our projects,” Smrek said.
The Madrigal feast, a type of dinner theater, is set in the medieval era and features choral music from that period. Boardman’s feast celebrated the Boar’s Head Festival. About 115 guests were served dinner and entertained by the 47 choir students.
The students talked in genteel British accents throughout the night and were dressed in era-appropriate costumes. A court of lords and ladies watched over the feast, including a king and queen, and often checked on guests during their meal, sharing jokes and humorous stories along the way. A court jester gleefully told well-worn jokes.
“We had a lot of fun with it. We’re looking forward to making the feast a yearly tradition at Boardman High School,” Smrek said of the event.