Among the wide variety of activities that are offered at Lexington High School, LHS Follies is a biannual concert that brings the LHS Performing Arts community together. In addition to it being a concert that chorus students participate in, it is also an opportunity for students to perform solos, duets, and group performances.
“It’s not a super strict concert. It’s a chance for students to show off their performance abilities. In normal concerts, it’s very structured—you sing and leave the stage. But with Follies, you get to act, which you don’t usually get to do in choir concerts. That’s one of the coolest parts,” Aman Verma, a senior, said.
LHS Follies is open to every student in the LHS chorus program, but particularly dedicated students can participate without being strictly in a school chorus class.
“I know one of my friends was able to audition even though she wasn’t in chorus. She wasn’t in an a cappella group either—she’s just very connected to the arts and also [is an] emcee at the jazz concerts,” Verma said.
The theme for the concert is always changing, allowing students to think outside the box, and showcase their creative sides by expressing themselves, not just through singing, but performing in general. In 2024, the repertoire consisted of all 21st-century musicals and featured the music of Pasek & Paul known for The Greatest Showman and Dear Evan Hansen. This year’s theme brings together the magic of fairytales and myths.
“Follies leans much more into the musical theater aspect of singing. There’s a greater focus on solos and contemporary pieces, and it feels more performance-based than a traditional choir concert,” Julian Huang, a senior and member of the Madrigal Singers, said.
Similar to any other large-scale event held at LHS, extensive preparation goes into LHS Follies. Participants go through a selection process in which the directors, Ms. Sarah Labrie and Mr. Andrew Scoglio, select performances that stand out while adhering to the theme. After the selection process, students participate in dress rehearsals leading up to the concert, in which significant efforts are dedicated to ensuring everything runs as smoothly as possible.
“Choirs rehearse and learn the pieces they’ll perform, either individually as ensembles or together as part of the full program. The main difference is the added focus on performance and musical theater style,” Huang added.
Aside from just being a unique concert that choruses, groups, and individuals participate in, LHS Follies is also a fundraiser that helps support the travels of the choral program.
Overall, LHS Follies offers the opportunity for students to enjoy themselves while showcasing the results of their hard work to a wider audience
“It’s a really fun experience and a chance to see students’ acting abilities that you might not normally see,” Verma said.
