Cowabunga talent show changes hands

Performers of all ages took to the stage last weekend to sing, dance and raise money for Bigfork area schools.

The 12th annual Cowabunga Variety Show had a 1940s ocean theme and raised around $7,000. 

“I’m very happy, we had some great support,” show director Diana Rahdert said.

This year’s show was the last that will be put together by the Friends of Bigfork Schools. The group is phasing out, as the schools now have an official and active Parent Teacher Association that fulfills the role FOBS originally did.

The variety show will be continued by the Bigfork Playhouse Children’s Theatre and ACES after-school program. The show has been a popular fundraiser. Auditions are in January to select most of the acts. 

BPCT choirs made several appearances in the show. Their first number was a fun rendition of the “Pink Panther” theme song by Henry Mancini. The song has no lyrics and really showcased the vocal abilities of the group. Other BPCT acts included “Steam Heat” from the musical “Pajama Game,” “42nd Street” by Harry Warren, “Green Eggs n’ Ham” and the jazz band played “Dr. Rockenstein’s Laboratory” and “Detention Blues.”

The ACES Girls Club stepped outside the 1940s genre and performed “Roar” by Katy Perry. Bigfork’s Destination Imagination team demonstrated their structural challenge, which won them the state competition. Taylor Diehl sang “Mack the Knife” by Kurt Weil as Kim Vierra added humor to the number by joining Diehl onstage dressed as a shark.

Meredith Bedford performed a contemporary dance solo to “Forever Young” by Alphaville, impressing the crowd with her flexibility and athleticism.  Bigfork Gymnastics demonstrated their abilities and the hoofing Swing It Sisters showed that all ages could perform an impressive and fun number. Frank Kuntz presented a comical pitch for Punksatony Vacuum cleaners, which, he said could move a door-to-door salesman to the other side of the street before they know what hit them.

McColl Miller impressed the audience by playing an original composition on piano, and the Bigfork kindergarteners and first graders brought a dose of cute performing “On the Good Ship Lollypop” and “Don’t Mean a Thing.”