Friday, October 10, 2008

Blue Angel coming Halloween weekend

By Betsy Baertlein
News Editor

Many students have already begun practicing for the annual Blue Angel concert auditions which are held Oct. 17 and 18.
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Blue Angel will take place at 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 31, and at 7 and 10 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 1.

Blue Angel, a two-hour compilation of Saint Mary’s University student musical talent, began in the 1960s. It was inspired by the German nightclubs in the 1930s film “Blue Angel.”

This year, the show is being referred to as “Boo Angel,” as it takes place over Halloween. This is the 42nd year that the brothers of the Phi Mu Alpha music fraternity have produced a Blue Angel show on campus.

Each year, about 20 acts are selected to perform in the show. Potential acts are reviewed by a panel of Phi Mu Alpha members, faculty advisors and some non-fraternity students.

According to Eldon Vaselaar, a SMU junior and member of Phi Mu Alpha, acts are selected based upon their performing ability, sound quality and energy. Phi Mu Alpha strives to select acts that will represent performers from all facets of student life and a variety of sound. Most of the acts fit into the categories of acoustic, rock and novelty. “The main focus of the show is to entertain the audience,” said Vaselaar.

All of the Phi Mu Alpha brothers play a role in producing Blue Angel, and some alumni return to help with the show as well. Many families of student performers attend the show on Friday night, and more audience members tend to dance at Saturday’s shows, said Vaselaar. “We love it when the crowd is singing, cheering and dancing,” said Vaselaar.

The majority of the money earned from ticket sales and program ads supports SMU music department scholarships and musical ensembles in the Winona community.

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