Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School held its annual Multicultural Show on Friday, Dec. 2. Shows were performed throughout the school day during fifth and sixth period, as well as in the evening for other community members to enjoy.

The production is hosted each year by the Spanish Club. Other clubs and student associations also help out to represent diversity and exhibit numerous cultural identities. Many different technical and theatrical aspects factor into the show to create a visually appealing performance.

“When I came here nine years ago, I started with the Multicultural Show myself,” Spanish Club sponsor Maria Garcia said. “The planning for the show begins at the end of each school year for the next [school year].”

The Multicultural Show originally began with the help of Alicia Blonde, a previous Spanish teacher at MSD. The project was taken up by Garcia and Spanish teacher Ana Roa when they came to the school nine years ago.

This year’s theme for the show was “Travel Diaries of my Grandparents,” with performers from MSD’s drama department portraying the grandparents and their grandchildren, who they take with them on a trip to the countries listed in the diaries.

Every performance showcased different styles of dance and music, lighting up the auditorium with the uniqueness of their culture. Included in the performance were the Spanish-speaking countries of Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Colombia, Venezuela, Spain and Puerto Rico, the Asian countries of India, China and Korea, and other countries such as Haiti, Brazil and the United States.

Other groups, including the Legends of Destiny Step Team and the LED Dance Team, were also participatory in the production, bringing their own excitement to the audience.

Rehearsals for the show were held in the auditorium throughout the week of Nov. 28. Students involved in the performance along with the dance choreographers worked diligently to ensure it would be the best one yet.

“We rehearse every afternoon from 2:45 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the auditorium,” Garcia said. “Each choreographer established from the beginning of the planning period the times and places where they were going to rehearse throughout the year.”

Since the end of the 2021-22 school year, the Spanish Club has been preparing for this year’s Multicultural Show.

“We started planning the show last year while getting the outline for everything, and earlier this year we started to find choreographers and held tryouts to find dancers,” Multicultural Show Assistant Director Renata Garcia said. “We have to work with our tech program to be able to do all the lighting and actual production of the show.”

The funds generated from ticket sales for the evening show go to the clubs which participated in the production, to help with academic competitions which relate to language and to support activities established by the World Language Department at MSD. Monies also are provided to The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF), a disease which damages the respiratory system. Their support for the organization began when a student previously in the Spanish Club had passed away from the disease.

While only performed once a day every year, the Multicultural Show always attracts many students, staff and families who hope to see a spectacle of tradition, musicality and fun.