The Madrigal Dinner

Elizabeth Smithey, Writer|February 13, 2023

Haley McColl

Seniors form the royal court. This year’s members were Queen Ania [McLaughlin] of Genovia, Queen Ryan [Nelson] of Castlevania, King Kaitlynn [Sandman] of Neverland, Queen Kaitlyn [Maas] of Tomorrowland, and Queen Josē [Siebert] of the Caribbean. Unfortunately, Queen Kiera [Lett] of Florin was prevented from reaching the castle by bandits in the forest.

The Madrigal Dinner had a great interactive play and dinner this year. In her first year directing this event, Mrs. Haley Dewey was joined by former choir director Lisa Lewis, who accompanied the choirs during their musical numbers. Choir members greeted guests, directed them to their table numbers, and announced their names to everyone while they took their seats. This year’s hosts and hostesses were the following students:

Sophomores

  • Cheyenne Bowman
  • Courtney Chamblee
  • Savanna Gardner
  • Blaire Hulvey
  • Mollie Lindsey
  • Akasha Schuh
  • Tristyn Sikes
  • Paige Stumbaugh

Juniors

  • Kylee Baca
  • Caraline Davis
  • McKenzie Kaligian
  • Landon McClanahand
  • Nadia Mills
  • Leann Tull

At the dinner, the choir entered singing “Masters in the Hall” while walking between the tables; then the main cast went up on stage to the big table, while everyone else lined up on the walls. A few members of the choir broke off to serve drinks to the guests and had some time to interact with them.

After a small amount of time, the jester, Lorde Carter Hale (9) of Hysteria, talked vaguely about what would happen in the future. Then came a small break to socialize with the cast and choir while a few people came out with trays to serve them dinner, catered by Lana Stephens. Aiana McLaughlin (10) and Sarah Murray (10) served the royal court while a number of other choir members, all freshmen, served the guests:

Carter Hale confronts Shelby Kennedy regarding her wild claim of a goose who can lay golden eggs. (Haley McColl)
  • Jayden Jenkins
  • Savannah Pogue
  • Valentina Pellegrino
  • Callie Rice
  • Brandi Curtis
  • Ethan Lock
  • Krystina McCleary
  • Jocelyn Peters
  • Nakota Saphian
  • Abigail Schmid
  • Payton Stricklan
  • Jadyn Yount

 

The play started again when everyone had been served and was seated. In this year’s performance, a girl named Gossage, played by Shelby Kennedy (9), wanted to sell a goose that lays golden eggs. No one believed her, so the court had a guard named Fiddlepants, played by Allison Edgy (10), lock up the goose to see if it would lay a golden egg. Additional cast members participating in this part of the play were town crier Maddison Phares (10) and pages Caden Heifner (9) and Troy McGee (10).

The senior girls in their recessional song,”Silent Night”. (Haley McColl)

After dessert, Detective Upson Downey, played by Isabel Pirtle (10), showed up saying that the goose was murdered. The cast, including a member of the local nobility, Mertonsire—played by Paige Maas (10)—started accusing each other, so the investigator had the guests write down who they think committed the crime. Most people thought it was the jester who killed the goose.

Just before the night ended, mixed choir sang Greg Gilpin’s “Sing Joy, Sing Gaudia!” Concert choir performed Linda Spevacek’s arrangement of “Riu Riu Chiu” with soloists Kaitlyn Maas and Kaitlynn Sandman. While walking back to the hall they started out in, both choirs joined in singing “Silent Night.” Fantastic job, FHS choirs!