The Austin High School Choir Department will present its annual Austinaires Show, “Footlights” on April 7, 8 and 9 at 7 p.m. in AHS’s Christgau Hall.

“Our theme, it has a broadway theme,” Brian Johnson, AHS Choir Director, said. “It’s called ‘Footlights’ which is kind of an old term that you still see in some old theaters as far as the lights at the foot of the stage that are going upwards towards performers.”

The show includes ensembles by Austinaires, a group of both girls and boys, and Choralaires, an all-girl group. It features music from Broadway shows including: “Wicked,” “Hairspray,” “Rocky Horror Picture Show,” “Spamalot” and more.

“It’s got a lot of great music,” Johnson said. “So it’s a fun show.”

The shows will also spotlight some individual performances by graduating seniors.

Each night features a different group of seniors and solos or ensembles, and Johnson encouraged attending more than one performance night.

“Every year we feature seniors,” Johnson said. “ … It gives the seniors a chance to express themselves.”

There will be about 50 performers onstage, along with an emcee and a band to accompany all the performances.

“No canned music, it’s all live,” Johnson said. “That’s what’s so great about this.”

Johnson said the students are excited for the show. He had one senior tell him she was scared, but not because of the performance.

“She said, it’s not the show per se, but she’s scared of it being over,” Johnson explained. “That’s how excited they get about doing this sort of stuff.”

He hoped the audience would walk away with an enjoyment for the student talent Austin has to offer.

“A lot of them just go away being amazed at what we have here and what the kids area able to do,” he said. “I really think that audiences go away appreciating that, because that’s something I appreciate every day, seeing [students] grow.”

Tickets are available at Hy-Vee and the AHS cashier and cost $7 for adults and $5 for students/senior citizens. Tickets at the door are $1 more. Since this is a fundraiser for the AHS Choral Department, passes are not accepted.