Lakeridge Company presents "Taking Care of Business" this weekend and next and puts Lake Oswego teens in a positive light.

This weekend and next, the Lakeridge Company show choir is putting on their annual Variety Show. This year’s theme is “Taking Care of Business.” On stage you’ll see more than 32 talented performers sing and dance to popular tunes. For the price of admission, you also get to see just what’s right with today’s teenagers.

●HIGH ENERGY. If we could find a way to package the energy the Company performers generate the weeks leading up to and during their Variety Show, we could solve our nation’s oil dependency problems. Small group practices, picking out costumes, choreographing routines, dress rehearsals—all that gets factored into a teenager’s already busy life. Never once did I hear my daughter during her two year Company stint complain. Instead she wished the show could go on long past its two weekend booking.

●HAPPY. Banish the notion of the moody, glum adolescent. You’ll see smiling, engaged teens who are genuinely having fun.

●TALENTED. You’d be hard pressed to get better entertainment value for your dollar. I featured several of the cast members in a blog on Homegrown Talent. One former Company member is performing in clubs in New York City; another appeared on Glee, and another is a member of University of Oregon’s award winning a cappella group, On The Rocks. Check out what you might find in this YouTube video of my daughter’s ensemble singing “I’m Yours” by Jason Mraz.

●RESPECTFUL OF THEIR ELDERS. Rather than make fun of the music of our generation, these kids are rocking it! They’ve sung “California Dreamin,’”by the Mommas & the Pappas,  The Beatles’ “Drive My Car,” “Proud Mary” by Creedence Clearwater Revival and  Etta James’ 1960 hit, “At Last,” just to name a few.

●WILLING TO LOOK SILLY. In a world where athlete endorsed footwear and designer jeans eat up too much of an adolescent’s shopping budget, it’s refreshing to see that not all teenagers follow the same fashion beat. During my daughter’s tenure, the entire ensemble of male performers appeared on stage in caveman attire to sing “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” and another contingent bared their knees in kilts as they sang the Scottish folksong, “Loch Lomond.”

So do yourself a favor and catch a performance of the Company Variety Show “Taking Care of Business”  this weekend or next in the Lakeridge High School auditorium at 1235 Overlook Drive in Lake Oswego. Showtimes are Fridays and Saturdays, April 20, 21, 27 and 28 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, April 22 at 2:00 p.m. Tickets are $12 adults; $10 children and students and are available online or through the Lakeridge bookkeeper.

If you go, let us know which song was your favorite. Or check out the YouTube videos of past performances and weigh in.

Photo credit: George Stojkovic