It’s a pinch before seven o’clock on a Friday night. Outside McLean High School, a cool autumn breeze silences the darkness. Inside the school, the lights barely stay on and every now and then a few strangers walk tentatively through the ghostly hallways. Although a few wrong steps, a left turn, a short walk down a side corridor, and a quick turn into a small room will bring you to the school’s Black Box Theater. As you step through the doorway, you step into a whole new environment, one that sensationally contrasts the dimness of the rest of the school. The Black Box theater is dimly lit, lights are strewn up around the room, students and parents eagerly wait in groups as if the room permeates a new sense of freedom. Tonight, it’s full of noise and excited energy, as it should be, because tonight is the “No Shame” Variety Show.

The “No Shame” Variety Show features a mix of stand up comedy, singing, rapping, monologue, and other various performances. The show encourages all McLean students to test or showcase talents or skills they have been working on. The Variety Show started in 2012, and runs once every quarter in each school year. It’s goal is to provide a platform where students can express themselves and receive relentless applause from the crowd of about 40 who pack themselves into the tiny theater deep inside the walls of the school.

Tonight, the electric atmosphere was on tap and the performances thrived off the energy of the buzzing crowd. Hosted by Haley Rose, the show packed ten segments and lasted about 45 minutes, complete with pure entertainment and lots of laughs.

Standouts included a rapper by the stage name of Several Chains, who produced a  flamboyant rap song that gathered perpetual hoots and hollers from what seemed to be a dedicated fan base as well as Alex Weinstein and friends who jammed out to their version of “I love you Jesus”. The performance consisted of an endless prance around the stage with a mix of unrecognizable dance moves and breathlessly yelling into the microphone something that resembled “Jesus loves you.”

There were also more conservative productions such as a vibrant piano/vocal performance of Creep by Radiohead and a gnarly original rock/alternative/independent song that kept coming back to the chorus which went something to the tune of “head stained red.”

Make sure to keep an eye out for the next “No Shame” Variety Show around the holidays which will include another ten segments and is open to all McLean students who wish to showcase their talents. More information can be found here.