It is physically impossible not to smile during a Wisconsin Singers performance. True, they are the equivalent of Fruity Pebbles in the cereal hierarchy of performance arts — they’re infinitely sugary and absent of nutritional value — but they mix cheesy fun so well with near flawless technical precision that they can energize even the sternest and most discerning audience.
On Saturday night, the Wisconsin Singers took the stage for their biggest performance of the semester. The show opened with performances from a local high school show choir — the winners of “UW’s Got Talent” — and Fundamentally Sound before moving to the main event.
The opening acts were entertaining enough. The highlight came from a great performance of “High and Dry” by Fundamentally Sound that cast a tranquil silence over the entire audience.
The performance by the Wisconsin Singers could only be described as high speed. For almost two hours they were a whirling dervish of hair spray, garish makeup, gigantic smiles, costume changes, flashy light cues, slick dance moves and a myriad of vocal styles. They integrated the choreography of Michael Jackson with boogie and swing, and contrasted musical selections of Justin Timberlake with old-style country ballads.
And while the Wisconsin Singers were never performing at less than a frenetic pace, the technical aspects of the show rarely suffered. The dancing was crisp, and the frequent shifts from song to song were practically seamless, with the singers displaying the highest level of discipline to track their many entrances and exits.
Perhaps the only chink in their sequined armor was a propensity for their vocal quality to diminish during the faster-pace numbers. When the singers were given the chance to stop jumping around the stage, they displayed a great ability to sing with grace and skill, notably with a moving rendition of The Beatles’ “Blackbird.” However, while the group was spinning about breathlessly, they could not always maintain that high tonal quality and strength; but there is only so much you can physically expect from a performer — there are reasons why pop stars perform their live shows with prerecorded music.
The Wisconsin Singers were at their strongest reveling in the fun and light airs of their art. The show was practically stolen by a series of goofy videos that played in the beginning of each medley section, featuring different members of the ensemble. They also managed to put the Cookie Monster, a robot, the “Veggie Tales” characters and Lumiere, the candlestick from “Beauty and The Beast,” on stage all in one evening — and used all to a hilarious effect.
It may not be high-stakes drama, but it’s a good time. The group executes at a very professional level, and they know how to entertain. Ultimately, the Wisconsin Singers gave a performance that brought a sold-out theater to its feet, and for performers, nothing could be more important or a higher mark of success.
