Revere High School will hold the annual Variety Show in the new high school auditorium for the first time, while following COVID restrictions will hold it as a live event.

The Variety Show is a live event displaying talents of Revere students. The show will be a little different this year because of the COVID rules that are set in place to hold a live show.
Revere High School English teacher and director of the Variety Show Amy Fagnilli talked about the history of the Variety Show.

“The Variety Show has been around for decades, so I’m relatively new in that I’ve been directing it for maybe ten or eleven years now,” Fagnilli said.

Fagnilli explained how having the band perform at the end of the show adds a personal touch to the event and leaves the audience lively and energetic.

“They come and close the show, and the cast comes out and bows and that’s [kind of] an exciting way to end the show,” Fagnilli said.

The emcees introduce performers on stage and help keep the audience lively in between acts.

“The show usually has an emcee or team running the show [and] presenting the acts keeping the show going. This year it’s Nathan Phan and Flynn Cowie, who actually were the emcees last year,” Fagnilli said.

Fagnilli also talked about how the Variety Shows are different from a standard talent show.

“There’s no competition, there’s no categories. Sometimes a talent show implies that there’s going to be a winner, whereas the variety show is really meant to be like a showcase of many different things,” Fagnilli said.

Variety Shows are unique because they have a “variety” of different types of performances.

“Over the years we’ve had so many different types of acts, and you can have anything from comedic renditions of YouTube videos or like a Tiktok, to something really serious like someone who is an exceptional musician performing,” Fagnilli said.

The emcees play a part in why each show is different since every emcees has a different type of style when it comes to hosting the show.

Junior Nathan Phan talked about how he became an emcee for the Variety Show.

“A few years ago, my friend Mike was in [the show], and I went to see it and I thought it was pretty cool, so that’s how I got introduced to it,” Phan said.

Every year the emcees come up with a theme for the show. Last year’s theme was the 2010’s. Phan explains the process he uses to choose a theme.

“[I] play [Super Smash Bros. Ultimate] with [Cowie], who is my partner and it [sort of]just comes up,” Phan said.
Phan also gave advice for people who want to participate in the show next year, or people who are thinking about being an
emcee.

“For people who want to participate in the Variety Show [by] doing an act, I’d say do what you like and don’t really worry about what other people will think. For people who want to emcee, just go up there and have fun,” Phan said.
Junior Michael Blackburn, also known as “Magic Mike,”has participated in the Variety Show for three years and talked about how he started performing in the show.

“I knew Mrs. Fagnilli and she knew that I did magic, so she suggested ‘hey you should do this,’ . . . and then from there, every year she convinces me to do it,” Blackburn said.

Blackburn also went into his process on deciding what to do for the show.

“I brainstorm for a couple days and think about some new stuff I could do. [I] read different books, magic books,” Blackburn said.

Blackburn shared his thoughts on middle schoolers participating in the Variety Show this year.

“[They are]kind of getting a foot in the door for high school too, so people [kind of] know who they are when they come in; that’s always cool,” Blackburn said.

Fagnilli explained how this year there are smaller crowds due to COVID limits, but she still ensures that it will be a good show.

“We are going to have a much smaller crowd to get hyped about, but it will still be an amazing show as it always is. I’m always really nervous, but then it turns out phenomenal,” Fagnilli said.

The Show will take place on February 6th at 7 p.m.