AUK Talent Show

The “stars” were out in the AUK Auditorium on December 5. There was a star backdrop on the stage, and the room was dimmed like the night sky, with only strategically angled overhead lights, a la stars, illuminating the performers. Indeed, those performers themselves – 8 people across 6 acts — were the main “stars” of the inaugural “AUK’s Got Talent.”

Suzanne Alsoufi of Communications emceed, enthusiastically introducing each of the performers right before their taking the stage. The first people she introduced were other essential contributors to the show: the three judges, Zaina Aladham of Human Resources, Dara Sherwani of Computer Science and Information Technology, and Yelena Sardaryan of Student Affairs.

Graphic designer Kawa Safar was the initial performer. His act was one-of-a-kind, primarily involving well-meaning caricatures of adults from the campus but including enough well-received jokes that it also took on elements of stand-up comedy. His extemporaneous sketches and witticisms won over many.

The next three performers were all poets; each presented an original composition in one of AUK’s three leading languages: Arabic, English, and Kurdish. The Arabic poem “A Path to the Sun,” by Dalal Abdullah of Student Government, told a short story on Baghdadi life. It sounded positively mellifluous in Arabic, but the author provided her own English-language summary immediately thereafter, to help those who could judge her poetic narrative by “sound” alone appreciate it more. Content Writer Michael Collins referenced the upcoming year in the title and structure of his “Onward to ‘23: A 23-Line Poem about AUK.” One couplet read:

“Kurdistan needs young leaders trained for tomorrow,

Talented and committed to distancing the region from yesterday’s sorrow.”

Halmat Kestai of Communications delivered one Kurdish poem, “Heyho, Yarê” (“Oh, Love”), from his own archive of creations. Through questions he received from the panel of judges, he clarified his poem’s meaning for the minority of those in attendance lacking Kurdish proficiency.

Musical acts capped the event. Loucine and Thomas Hayes, directors of CAPA and General Education, respectively, performed “California Dreamin’” with vocals by both and guitar by Mr. Hayes. So, a married couple, with the wife being of Armenian extraction, did a duet of an American song from the 60s – shades of Sonny & Cher! Ali Adeeb and Herish Badal, students belonging to the Music Club, used the saz, a traditional Kurdish guitar, and guttural singing to wow the crowd into requesting an encore. They obliged.

The judges’ scorecards indicated the top two acts were the first and the last: Kawa Safar and the Music Club. It fell to the audience to determine the ultimate winner, through Instagram voting. A choir from a local church performed during the voting. The choir featured singers of both genders ranging in age from about 8 to 20, vocalizing a medley with sections from “In Excelsis Deo” and “Jingle Bells,” among other works. Upon the closing of Instagram voting, Ali Adeeb and Herish Badal were announced as the people’s choice.

The event ended with all the participants being summoned back to the stage. They assembled for certificates of appreciation, a round of applause, and a group photo. Participants and spectators alike then proceeded to the Student Lounge, where cookies and donuts were waiting. At this gathering, several appreciative attendees approached performers to thank them – AUK’s got “class,” too.