Follies 2024

Order your copy of Follies 2024 or previous years here!

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Beginning as "Busy Bee Band on Broadway," the Follies has welcomed thousands of members and community members to the show over the years.  Follies 2024 marked the 50th running of the long-standing Spring tradition at East Fairmont High School.  The 2024 show greeted patrons with an old, familiar classic "That's Entertainment" before featuring the Honeybees in Count Basie's "Jumpin' at the Woodside." The sound of the Busy Bee Band was then featured a salute to former television hits in Paul Lavendar's arrangement "Prime Time Tonight."  The band then performed James Swearingen's "In All Its Glory," which the band recently performed in the Region 10 Band Festival and received Superior ratings.

 

The Honeybees then took the stage and reprised the Will Rogers Follies with their own take on "Our Favorite Son."  John Higgins' arrangement of "The Eighties" took to the stage next with such hits as "Bad," "Material Girl," "Somewhere Out There," "Olympic Fanfare," "Phantom of the Opera," among several other recognizable '80s tunes.

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In keeping with the namesake of the show, the Honeybees were featured in a callback to the Ziegfeld Follies with "Moon River" and the Frank Sinatra hit "Fly Me To The Moon."  The Busy Bee Band Percussion section took to the stage next with "It Don't Mean A Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing," which featured a rousing drum solo.  The first half of the show ended with the traditional Honeybee kickline to "Barbie Girl."

 

Back to the Future on the Follies Stage

 

The second half of Follies 2024 began with Marty, Doc, Biff and McFly taking to the stage for a short production of the movie and Broadway hit "Back to the Future."  In addition to an arrangement of Alan Silvestri's "Back to the Future" Theme, the group performed "Power of Love" and "Johnny B Goode."  The band was then again featured on a tribute to the Music of Ray Charles, which included "I Can't Stop Loving You," "Hallelujah I Love Her So," "Let the Good Times Roll," "What I'd Say," and "Georgia On My Mind."

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The music of Taylor Swift then took to our stage, with the band featured on "Picture to Burn," "Love Story," and "White Horse," with the Honeybees taking to the stage with "You Belong With Me" and "Shake It Off."  The group then saluted the Class of 2024 and their many accomplishments while part of the Busy Bee Band Family.

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To round out the show, the group was joined on stage by Alumni band members and Honeybees who performed in several numbers.  Alumni Honeybees took to the stage during "Thanks for the Memories" and a Busy Bee Band favorite "Baddest Band."  Current and Former Queen Bees took to the stage to direct "Hail, West Virginia" and the Busy Bee Band Percussion Alumni took to the stage for "Across the Field."  The Band Alumni were then featured in "Proud Mary" before alumni and current Honeybees all took the stage for "Celebration," capping the end of Follies 2024 and an amazing close to the 50th Annual spring production.

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