Energy crackles like dynamite across the Carpenter Family Theater stage during WHS’s annual A Class Act spring performance —– “ACA Y2K.” Personality and passion were palpable through the powerful singing, dancing, parodies and decorations.
The audience was electrified with early 2000s energy as WHS’s audition–only choir group, ACA brought “ACA Y2K” to life Feb. 5, 6 and 7 at 7 p.m. From a collection of student–led parodies like Reese’s Puff commercials, Friends, “Pimp My Ride,” tmz.com reimagined as “aca.com” and jack–ass transformed to “jack–aca.” The show immersed audiences in a throwback world curated entirely by the students themselves.
Outside the theater, the WHS cafeteria was transformed into an early 2000s concert lobby. Friends and family of members could leave heartfelt and encouraging notes on paper cut out in the shape of a silver CD. These little messages could be kept away in a CD book for each member, with their faces reimagined as popular singers and rappers of the era. This “fan–mail” is a recurring element in ACA shows, seen in last year’s spring show, “Hollywood ACA.”
“It’s not really about learning the notes, especially with this group,” said choir and ACA teacher Amy Rolniak. “it’s really about singing together. It’s not just about them going home and learning their own parts, it’s about coming together and learning how to blend and how to act as a group”
While WHS choir is notorious for its group–oriented themes, ACA particularly requires maximum effort from all members to blend together harmoniously. Rolniak and members alike often refer to “no one sits on the [metaphorical] bench” in ACA, and every member is expected to dedicate every ounce of their talent for the sake of the team.
“They need to know how to learn music very quickly in that group,” said Rolniak. “It’s a lot of acappella, and we do a lot of really hard songs. They have to come into the class with all those skills under their belt.”
While Rolniak selects the tracks for the popular holiday show in December, ACA members choose their spring show theme, music and dances together. Each song is broken into six to eight sections, taught in these sections and rehearsed repeatedly. Given the fast pace of the class, members are expected to learn the technical abilities for each piece on their own time — verified through “song quizzes” during class — allowing class time to focus on ensemble blend rather than basic note learning.
“Sometimes there’s going to be a few late nights studying and getting stuff done,” said Madison Gamble ‘26. “Teachers are pretty accommodating, but it can get very stressful.”
Weekly rehearsals stretch from two to two–and–a–half hours, intensifying to six hours a week as performance week approaches. On top of the rigorous performance schedules, members are also expected to maintain their studies.
“I always say [steps] one through five are learning notes and rhythms, but [steps] five through ten are learning how to sing together,” said Rolniak. “You can’t do that if you don’t already have the basics.”
ACA’s efforts stretch beyond singing, and the performances quickly become much more than a show. Students write scripts, shoot parody videos, edit tracks, choreograph dances and coordinate costumes. Julian Tognacchi ‘26 captained the creation of the parodies of famous early 2000’s media, ACA style. M.J Byrd ‘26 served as track coordinator, Gamble arranged rap melodies, Mia Hernandez ‘26 designed publicity materials and the playbill cover and Keiran Greding ‘26 created the CD cover art. Each of the 14 students jumped through hoops to perform in harmony and produce quality work.
“All the stuff you see on stage is done by the students,” said Greding. “The videos are done by the students, and we assign who we need where.”
Each dance had a student choreographer who also selected costumes, resulting in 15 musical numbers paired with 15 dances. The dances were elaborate, harnessing the spark that the songs carried. The workload is both physically and mentally draining, requiring discipline, time management and resilience from every member.
“Weeks leading up to a show, I’m practicing five to six hours a day,” said Greding. “It’s both physically and mentally demanding, [and] I’ve had to push my limits a bit. But [it taught me] really valuable teamwork. If I see someone who is working really hard on something, it makes me want to step in and help.”
Equally important is trust. 14 personalities must function as a unified ensemble — not necessarily as best friends, but as collaborators willing to make mistakes and grow together.
“When you’re dealing with 14 people in general, you are always going to have personalities that will not be best friends,” said Rolniak. “This group happens to be really close, but I think the more they can understand each other and get along, the better they will be as a group, because it’s really about togetherness and teamwork.”
That culture shapes rehearsal rooms and performances alike. Room 21N, the choir room, is notorious on the WHS campus for being decorated head to toe with welcoming decor, especially around the holidays. For younger members, ACA provides space to step into leadership and confidence within a flexible environment.
“Being the youngest in ACA feels pretty cool,” said Scarlette Daych ‘28. “The environment is very inclusive, and I don’t feel like anyone is ever excluded in the group. This is our big show.”
Ultimately, ACA exists to serve its audience — to create moments where performers and spectators alike can set everything else aside. From the Carpenter Family Theatre stage, to their bi–anual performances at Idyllwild, to their show at CLU, to their presentation at Forum Festival at the end of the year, ACA demands every ounce of time, energy, passion, and soul from its members.
“It doesn’t matter who you are, but music makes us feel something,” said Gamble. “There’s a few hours where you can set aside your problems and your life and just focus on the show.”
After months of strenuous rehearsals, late nights, and endless coordination, the members of A Class Act prove their passion for singing once again. WHS warriors can expect more lively shows in the future, and can be on the lookout for future ACA or choir related events via their Instagram, @westlakeaca and their website: westlakechoir.org.
“With enough time and effort, anything is possible,” said Greding. “If you keep working and working and working, you will achieve your goal.”
