Mattituck Cutchogue School District

Mattituck students set to take stage at 83rd annual variety show

The Mattituck High School auditorium will soon be filled with wacky skits, song bits and interpretative dance. 

The 83rd annual high school variety show will be presented Friday, Nov. 30, and Saturday, Dec. 1, at 7 p.m.

Director Amy Csorny, the library media specialist, said this year’s performance, as in years past, is student-driven — meaning that students make all creative decisions related to the production. As a result, Ms. Csorny said, the performance is often improvisational. 

“The students decide to showcase their own talent, they pull together their own props, they produce their own show,” she said. “That can make it rather organic at times … sometimes they choose to be more scripted. It really depends on the synergy between the producers and the cast and what their visions are for the show.”

Each variety show has a theme. This year’s theme, she said, is “Passing Through Time,” and students considered this element before selecting their acts. 

While Ms. Csorny’s title is “director,” she said she acts more like a facilitator. 

“I try to give them space to do what they want,” she said. 

Ms. Csorny said she began formal meetings with the student performers Oct. 23, but they’ve been brainstorming acts and skits since August. 

“As much as it’s unique, it’s very informal, because the show is taking on a life of its own,” she said. 

Most of the students who perform in the variety show also participate in other music and arts courses at Mattituck, Ms. Csorny said.

“They’re involved in select chorus, some are directing the junior high school play or they might be faced with musical auditions, on top of their work, school and life commitment,” she said. “They really want the variety show to happen.” 

Because the show has been a part of the Mattituck-Cutchogue community for so many years, she said, she often receives emails about the show from alumni and the parents of student performers. 

“There are community members and teachers who grew up here who remember being in the variety show, or remember attending the variety show, or their siblings were in the variety show,” she said. “There’s generational continuity.” 

Tickets are currently available at the high school for $10 and will be available at the door.

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Photo caption: Mattituck High School’s 2015 Variety Show included silly antics, sketches and music. (Katherine Schroeder file photo)