Hamilton Synergy: Once Upon Another Time 2025 Competition Season
Photos submitted by Synergy.
Emma Suneja
Growing up is hard. As high schoolers, we are given more freedom through school, driving, and getting a job, but that freedom comes with new responsibilities and expectations. Many of us have felt at one point or another that we wish we were still kids. When the magic of the Tooth Fairy and Easter Bunny still had that effect on us. Where nothing was real. If you had the chance to go back and live in a world of childlike wonder, would you?
This is the question that Hamilton Synergy Show Choir is asking the audience with their 2025 competition set Once Upon Another Time. The set follows the main character Belle (sophomore Lauryn Heine) as she reminisces on the innocence of her childhood when all of her fairytale characters were there to guide her. Our opening number is a mashup between “Once Upon Another Time” and “Fairytale” by Sara Bareilles. Belle is first exposed to a soloist (senior Reece Schrader) singing about the hardships of two other princesses: Cinderella and Rapunzel (seniors Sienna Johnson and Aviya Mitchell respectively). The repetition of the chorus, “I don’t care for your fairytales,” entices the main character in the real world.
The second piece of the set features the feared Queen of Hearts (senior Jenna Korban) in the hit song “Confident” by Demi Lovato. The ensemble asks the audience, “What is wrong with being confident in their decisions?”
The third piece is a mashup between “Beautiful City” by Hunter Parrish and “Welcome to Wonderland” by Anson Seabra. These two songs feature two different soloists (junior Josiah Bender and senior Lilly Peterson respectively) who are on different sides of this question. Josiah is a member of the real world offering what a beautiful city we can create. Lilly, on the other hand, has chosen her path into wonderland. But who will our main character follow?
The fourth piece of the set is “Everybody Breaks” by Ivan & Alyosha. The message conveyed through this song is that everyone breaks their beliefs and tries something different. That’s okay! But will this be enough for Belle to go to wonderland?
The fifth and final piece of this set is “Run” by Delta Rae. This is where Belle makes her choice. Will she continue to go into the real world, or does she stay with the fairytale characters of her youth? Does it have to be all or nothing?
Hamilton Synergy under the direction of Maggie Condon, combo director Alex Chanto, assistant director Emily Mertens, choreography by Ellie Jordan and arranged by Taras Nahirniak will be performing at five competitions this season. They will be at Milton Rock the Rock, Sauk Prairie Executive Session, Sparta Burst of Adrenaline, Monona Grove Silver Stage Invitational, and Medford Red White Spotlight. They will also be performing at Pop Show, which is a home show here at Hamilton! Pop Show will be taking place on April 3rd and 4th at 7 pm in the Hamilton Fine Arts Center. This group of kids has been working tirelessly since August to bring this set to you. We hope you enjoy Once Upon Another time!
