Proscenium, the a cappella ensemble that specializes in show tunes, captured the energy and universal emotions of theater favorites at their April 21 show "Everyone in Khakis!" in the Silver Auditorium, bringing Proscenium, the a cappella ensemble that specializes in show tunes, captured the energy and universal emotions of theater favorites at their April 21 show "Everyone in Khakis!" in the Silver Auditorium, bringing back memories of the audience's first experiences with each of the works performed.The performers brought enthusiasm to their songs. The show opened on a high note with a solo by Dave Stromes '05 during the light, amusing song "Shiksa Goddess," which, in telling the story of a Jewish man who loves a non-Jewish girl against his mother's protests, seemed especially relevant to Brandeis.

Hitting her notes perfectly in a solo during "Your Daddy's Son"-a ballad from Ragtime-Rebecca Webber '08 recalled the emotion of the original stage show.

The Pipes, a group from Trinity College in Hartford followed. They opened with a rendition of Simon and Garfunkel's "Cecilia," and their harmonies signaled an understanding of the capacity of human angst found in love.

Proscenium returned with "Let's Hear It for The Boy" from Footloose. Soloist Jenny Paul '07 belted out the notes with tremendous volume and accuracy. The group's energy and expression was further punctuated by dancing to the sharp rhythm of the number. One of the most complicated works Proscenium performed was "Fugue for Tinhorns" from Guys and Dolls. With three vocal melodies and lyrics, it might have been difficult to hit every note and still allow each lyric to be heard. But Proscenium did an impeccable job. Alisha Atlas-Corbett '05, Allie Winer '08 and Jeremy Carmasin '07 all had strong voices that captured the quirks of the characters they portrayed.

The next two songs-Atlas-Corbett and Stromes' farewell numbers-revealed the true height of Proscenium's emotions. Atlas-Corbett sang "Someone To Watch Over Me" from George Gershwin's Oh Kay! with a gorgeous burst of sentimentality. Stromes followed with "If I Can't Love Her," an emotional piece from Beauty and the Beast. He seemed to act as he sang, bringing personality to his part.

But Proscenium's finale, "Defying Gravity" from Stephen Schwartz's Wicked, was their best rendition. While it is difficult to imagine anyone performing the number quite like the famed Idina Menzel-the buzz about the Broadway production of the show can be attributed to her-Amanda Brown '08 conveyed a strong sense of individuality.

Editors' Note: Rebecca Webber '08 is a staff writer for the Justice.