In the spirit of the show, senior Ceci Bourg, freshman Elise Bourg, Ms.Brooke Duplantier (’15), junior Annalyse Nelson and senior Maggie Duplantier perform “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” at the Polynesian Culture Center in Hawaii on Nov. 23. The performers spent a week on the island of Oahu to honor the 75th anniversary of Pearl Harbor.
This Thanksgiving, 23 students from DHS performance groups traveled to the island of Oahu, Hawaii to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor.
In a historic moment for DHS, the group traveled to Hawaii to participate in the National Festival of States as the only representative of Louisiana. The members of the band presented music from the time period of World War II accompanied by drama students junior Annalyse Nelson and senior Maggie Duplantier and alumna Brooke Duplantier (’15) and Kathleen Fasold (’13).
The group presented a Bob Hope-style USO Show in front of the U.S.S. Missouri. The musical selection included songs such as “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” and songs from the WWII musical South Pacific.
While honoring the memory and moments of WWII and sharing in the Hawaiian culture, DHS gave the festival attendees a little taste of New Orleans. In addition to the WWII themed music selection, the group performed some New Orleans classics like “When the Saints Go Marching In.”
Filled with excitement about the trip, Brooke (’15) and Maggie Duplantier kick off the show in front of the U.S.S. Missouri.
The band delivered an entertaining show that encouraged participation from the audience. “We wanted people to get involved,” said Ms. Brenda Castillo, band director.
With the help of Mrs. Rosalie Abadie, drama director, the group did just that. Mrs. Abadie choreographed their performance to make the show come alive. Throughout the performance, the group also thanked the veterans for their service.
“At one point a veteran actually stopped and sang along to ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’ with us,” said senior Kathryn Fasold. “We worked really hard to show our appreciation, so it was really satisfying to see them enjoy the show.”
After having the honor of performing at the National Festival of States, the group had the privilege of spending their Thanksgiving on the island. “We went to a luau and we got to share in the Hawaiian culture on top of celebrating our own traditions,” said Nelson. “It was so fun to merge our traditions with theirs.”
Not only was the trip a huge honor and accomplishment for DHS students, but it was “a huge step forward for the arts department,” said Ms. Castillo, “and yet another way that Dominican produces well-rounded young women ready to take the world by storm.”
– Jailyn Heisser
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