MHS show choir takes top prize at Iowa competition

Mitchell High School’s show choir bested Omaha-area schools to win grand champion at Clash of the Titans show choir competition Saturday in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

In addition to grand champion, the Friend de Coup show choir also won best choreography and best band awards at the contest at Lewis Central High School.

Mitchell — the lone South Dakota high school there — competed against five large schools: three from the Omaha metro area, a central Nebraska school and Bishop Heelan in Sioux City.

Choir director Chris Miller said Mitchell was tied with one of Omaha Westside High School’s show choirs heading into the finals. He and students had little time to regroup because they were the second choir to perform on the schedule.

“We just knew that we were going to have to give the performance of our lives to break that tie and overcome obstacles,” he said.

And performers did with their show, which is a combination of pop/rock songs, a ballad from an underground Broadway musical, a couple of swing-style numbers and a humorous act.

“We wanted to break out of normal things Mitchell High School had done and shake things up a bit stylistically with music, props and costuming,” Miller said.

Junior Lexi Johnson, 16, Mitchell, a soprano, was named best female performer at Saturday’s contest. She said she was surprised to receive the important award.

“I worked really hard,” Johnson said. “I was surprised out of the number of girls that I got it.”

Miller said Johnson is always at the top of her game and that showed in Saturday’s night performance.

“I just can’t tell you how proud I am of her and the rest of the team,” he said.

Johnson said this year’s show has more energy to it. She credits Miller, composer Heath Ewing and choreographer Stephen Todd for creating a fantastic show.

“The choreography and music are a lot more complicated and we’ve put a lot more work and effort into it,” she said.

And that effort has paid off with the group receiving a third grand champion award this school year.

Miller attributes the choir’s success this year to a great show, students, staff and parents.

The show choir will travel to Orlando, Fla., this week for the national show choir competition on March 13.

“This is definitely a nice wind in our sails as we head south,” Miller said.

Tags: friend de coup, news, local