People of all ages file into the dim auditorium while mothers and fathers hold cameras and flowers to congratulate their children when the program ends. Footsteps of participants and crew members echo on the old wood floors as a participant signals to the tech booth to flash the lights; the show will begin soon. The lights lining the runway go down, and a spotlight shines onto the stage to welcome the night’s hosts and hostesses. A number of students stand along the stage in gowns and tuxedos to introduce themselves. As the very last student announces his name and grade, the first act of the evening starts filing on stage: a second grade class was to sing “The Story of the Gingerbread Man.”

Dinner and a Show is a program that has been completed for the past three years. People can buy tickets to have dinner and be entertained with a show to help pay for the costs of after prom. After prom is an event that takes place after the dance in conducted. For the past few years it has been held at Rivera Lanes Bowling Alley. It includes games, bowling, and different activities to win prizes. Revere alumna Molly Oldham decided to honor the tradition her mother set and help host Dinner and a Show. Sponsors such as American Commodore and Old Carolina Barbeque helped to provide the families attending with food and entertainment. Oldham decided to take over her mother’s position this year and help raise the money for after prom. Oldham described the significance of the show.

“It’s really fun to be able to have an outlet where your friends can see you perform… [this also] helps with raising money to make decisions for the after prom, like renting out space and buying prizes,” Oldham said.

The entire process of setting up the show takes a decent amount of time, but due to the short notice of Oldham being in charge, only a few weeks were left for her to prepare. Oldham had to quickly get ready with this shorter time slot, and discussed how she helped to set up the show.

“I’ve reached out to [all participants], and I’ve gotten some information to write bios about everyone [including] working with Jackson Kastelic in the tech booth so he can set it up,” Oldham said.

Besides students and parents, teachers and staff members also attend the Dinner and a Show, including Revere high school principal Phil King. King usually sees Revere students in a school setting, and at the Dinner and a Show, he gets to see the students in a lighter mood.

“My favorite part was seeing the teenagers between acts being goofy,” King said.
The Dinner and a Show also brings the community together, with parents, students, graduates, and others from around the community.

“[The show] allows for community members to make connections with students and parents,” King said.
Although King did not get to attend the show this year, in past years he had not only been in the audience, but also a part of the show. One year he played the banjo with his band and the band later played at an assembly. Students can display their skills, since they are the ones that make up the show.
“It provides another avenue for students to show their talent and mistakes did not matter,” King said.

American Commodore is a store where people can buy and rent dress apparel, and the company has been sponsoring Dinner and a Show for the past three years. Oldham shares why having them sponsor is positive for the students.

“Last year, the boys soccer team modeled and they all ended up renting their prom tuxedos there because they received such a good discount; many students rent their prom apparel from them as well,” Oldham said.
Students participate in being models for the show. One senior, Chase Heijnen, is not a new model for the event, and spoke on how she got involved with the show.

“I did it last year and had a lot of fun so I thought it would be fun to do again,” Heijnen said.
As well as having students model prom attire, students can also get involved by performing in the show. After dinner, the guests were escorted to the auditorium to see different acts that kids auditioned for in the past month. Sophomore Ellie Lewis is a part of ETC All-American Youth Show Choir, a group that has performed in the show before. Lewis talked about how the show influences the group.

“It gives us a chance to practice our show in front of a live audience… We practice every Sunday and rehearse our show,” Lewis said.

The acts varied in style, such as a magic show from sophomore Michael Blackburn, and a duet between senior Joe Restivo and Oldham. Oldham discussed this years talent portion of the show.

“There’s a caliber of talent in this year’s show and it’s really good. Ellie Lewis is singing, and a band of high schoolers called the ‘Rubbish Basement Dogs’ is playing,” Oldham said.

The Dinner and a Show proved to be successful by earning a significant amount for this year’s after prom.