Arlington kicks off a month of arts with Jazzmine choir show

ARLINGTON — In a town where sports has always been tops, Arlington high school students do their best to provide opportunities for the community to view fine and performing arts.

The school’s popular annual Jazzmine choir’s stage show, this year called “Teen Angst,” continues tonight through Sunday at the Byrnes Performing Arts Center, 18821 Crown Ridge Blvd.

Some other dates to put on the calendar include:

•The school’s annual “Swing Into Spring” jazz band dessert-dance on the evenings of May 4 and 5 features classic big band dance music. Tickets are $12 each for the event in the school commons.

Visual art students plan to showcase their work at the school’s annual Art Festival and Sale from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.. May 5 in the lobby of the performing arts center.

Art is about life, said Bev Schatz, who teaches visual arts at the school.

“As educators, we know that through art, students develop a deeper perception of themselves as well as our society,” Schatz said. “They mature as they learn to appreciate art’s complexity. Art is discovering, creating and understanding the human spirit. To these ends we showcase student’s work in many ways culminating in art festivals, plays, band concerts and choir performances.”

Jazzmine’s “Teen Angst,” led by new director Brent McGee, offers a “jukebox musical”— new movement on Broadway stages as well as on movie and TV screens. The production takes well-known songs and places them in a narrative story line.

“Teen Angst” follows a group of high school students as they find their way through the fun and pitfalls of preparing for and going to the prom, McGee said. All the elements of a good musical are there, including romance, intrigue, comedy, drama, toe-tapping tunes and clever choreography.

The show begins at 7 p.m. tonight, Saturday and at 2 p.m. Sunday.

Tickets cost $15 for adults or $10 for students, and are available at www.byrnesperformingarts.org.

Gale Fiege: 425-339-3427; gfiege@heraldnet.com.