Douglas High students show their stuff

Douglas High School's got talent, and it's not scared to use it.

"We're the best in the West," said Vice Principal Becky Rugger. "Douglas has it all."

Students, teachers and parents filled the Douglas gym on Dec. 21 for the school's annual talent show. Above the gym door hung a banner with the Las Vegas logo on it saying, "Welcome to Fabulous Douglas, Nevada."

"I'm looking forward to Lisa Christen singing," said senior Jaclyn Neddenriep before the show.

Christen, also a senior, was less enthusiastic.

"I'm nervous about a high note," she said. "I really want to hit it."

The show began with Luke Huff, Ethan Gray and Anton Anger pretending to be snowboarders lost in Las Vegas without snow. Stripping off their winter apparel they revealed cut-off shorts, much to the pleasure of the audience.

The Douglas Madrigals sang the national anthem, then it was junior Nick Hales wailing on his electric guitar that kept the crowd excited.

Hales played rock versions of Bach's "Toccata and Fugue" and Pachelbel's "Canon in D." Hales' fingers flew up and down the frets, and his amplifier twanged with the distortion of Jimi Hendrix. Dressed in a U.S.A. T-shirt and a white top hat, the crowd roared when Hales slid on his knees near the end of his solo. He finished by throwing his hat into the crowd.

Douglas danceline performed, and the rock band of Travis Gonzales, Brad Gonzales, Zach Hughes and Neil Luzzi covered Sublime. Mackenzie Cauley sang, Julia Callahan danced and then it was Lisa Christen on stage.

Christen sang Christina Aguilera's "I Turn to You" with confidence and gusto. When the high notes came, she nailed them, and her classmates cheered.

Cassidy Munoz and Kali Chandler did a comedy routine, and drama students Ashley Barrett, Sara Garrig, Jackie Rosenberg and Alexa Rosenberg performed a mock gum commercial.

Lauren Kepler also sang, then Douglas jazz dance finished things off with a retro "Hairspray" tribute. Dancing in the middle of the gym was senior Luke Huff, one of the snowboarders, dressed in drag and shaking his stuff.

Christen's singing was not in vain because the five teacher-judges awarded her first place. The drama students' commercial routine won second, and Hales took third for his incendiary guitar.

"Have fun, rock on and be excellent to each other," Hales said after the show.