After months of auditions and preparation, Mahopac’s 40th annual rock/pop show “Illusion” has arrived.
Students from every corner of Mahopac High School have come together to express their love of music. Whether singing, playing an instrument or working in production, every member of the show is essential and they all rely on one another.
Becca Lomas, a third-year veteran of “Illusion” and senior at Mahopac High School, was thrilled to be selected to sing again this year.
“I’ve gotten to know so many people who I wouldn’t have met otherwise—band mates, fellow singers, production people—and we have a big horn section this year,” she said.
Lomas attended her first “Illusion” concert when she was in middle school. From that moment, she said, she knew that she wanted to be a part of the show. Now, she is certain that singing will be a part of her life into adulthood.
“I will keep performing wherever I go; it’s become a very important part of my life.”
This year’s “Illusion” will feature several new faces such as first-year drummer and sophomore, Ricky Vega, who auditioned for the first time in October.
“I wasn’t thinking about trying to be better than anybody else,” Vega said of his audition. “I just zoned in on the song and learned every little part of it.”
Vega is not the first member of his family to perform in “Illusion.” His older sister sang and his older brother played drums in the show, and both have inspired him.
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“I took drum lessons for a year when I was younger, but I didn’t practice enough. Then I watched my brother play the drums and that got me interested in music again… I’ve been taking lessons and my brother has helped teach me, too.”
The sophomore also plays piano and guitar. But like his brother, he will take the stage with drumsticks in hand.
The often-unsung heroes of shows like “Illusion” are the members of the stage crew or production team who manage the lighting and sound systems, handle props and equipment and help keep everything on schedule.
“There are a lot of roles that need to be filled; there are camera people, spotlights, people controlling the screens,” said Production Assistant Brooke Geller. “Everyone is contributing something; no one is ever just standing around.”
The people who work behind the scenes are just as excited about putting on a great show as the performers.
“The culmination of all that time spent,” Gellar said. “It’s amazing to see it become a reality and to feel that energy from the crowd.”
“Illusion” opened Thursday night. There are will be another performances at 7 p.m. on Saturday night. Admission will be $10 at the door.
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Stas Przymylski teaches Audio and Video Production at Mahopac High School. But he eats, sleeps and breathes “Illusion,” Mahopac’s unique rock concert extravaganza.
Posters from performances of the last 20 years adorn the walls of his office. He remembers the names of students who were part of the show more than a decade ago. He knows every inch of the show that he has been working on for the past two months.
This year’s “Illusion” marks the concert’s 40th anniversary, and its first unrestricted live iteration in three years. As the resident expert on “Illusion,” Przymylski took time out of his day to answer a few questions about the concert and its history.
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Q: “How and when did “Illusion” start?
A: “Illusion” has been around since the early 1980s. It was originally called ‘Starfire’ back when some students wanted to start a rock group. They added singers to the jazz band and created a jazz-rock variety show, which became “Illusion” in 1982. Over time, it evolved into the rock show that it is today.
Q: When did you first become involved with “Illusion”?
A: Around 1985, I was a freshman or in middle school, and I ran spotlight. That is when I thought, ‘I want to do that, I want to be on the stage.’ So, I started learning bass on my own. Then I got some lessons and eventually I made it into the show. I performed in “Illusion” in 1989, the year that I graduated.”
Q: How has “Illusion” changed since you were a student in 1989?
Q: In the years since “Illusion” split off from the jazz band, it went through quite a few iterations. It started out as a school concert like any other. When I went to see it in ‘83, ‘84, ’85, it was much more low-key. Around 1986, we moved from using all in-house production equipment to hiring a sound and light crew. The show evolved quickly after that. It really became a rock concert in ‘86 or ‘87. It got so popular so fast that it was almost out of control.”
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Q: Has anything stayed the same since you played in the concert?
A: The students still come into the show the same way that I did. Most of the students that are in “Illusion” this year saw the show when they were younger and thought, ‘That’s really cool; I want to do that.’ We have students who come into Mahopac High School with the goal of performing in “Illusion.” It is the same as when students see older students playing football or performing in a play and decide that they want to get into the sport or theater.
Q: When did you begin directing the show and how has it changed in that time?
A: I took over in 2006 and I moved away from some of the theatrical ‘80s and ‘90s elements in order to put the focus on the music. I always saw “Illusion” as a combination of what we do here in music and production. Students in my video production class will be operating cameras during the show and editing the video after the show. My audio production students are going to mix the audio that we get from the show.
Q: What does the future for “Illusion” look like?
A: The show will continue to evolve along with musical styles and technology. I hope that it is here to stay. I am certainly not going anywhere anytime soon, so I am excited to continue to be a part of it.
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Q: What is the importance of “Illusion” to the students and the Mahopac community?
A: Music education in high school and college is generally, what you would consider classical music: orchestra, concert band, and chorus. Jazz bands have become mainstream as well, but rock bands have not. In “Illusion,” we play current, popular music. We’re going to be playing Miley Cyrus. We played Journey last year. We’re going to be playing Taylor Swift, Paramour, all bands that students listen to today. You don’t need a recording studio to record music anymore, you just need a good laptop, some software, a couple of microphones and some know-how. That accessibility means that more students are playing and singing popular music. We want to enable that growth in an educational setting. “Illusion” is a great place for a student who might not play traditional music or instruments to display and develop their talents.
Q: Do students continue to pursue music after they participate in “Illusion”?
A: We have had two of our singers go on to compete on “The Voice.” One of them came out of nowhere and might not have seriously explored singing if not for “Illusion.” The show doesn’t exist to produce professional musicians but it’s always exciting when students see some success in music after graduating. I'm always seeing posts on social media about former students releasing albums, performing, and even touring.
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Q: What is the goal of “Illusion”?
A: In all of our music education in Mahopac, and our offerings are extensive, the goal is to create lifelong musicians. Not necessarily music teachers or rock stars. We want our programs to produce students who continue to play and sing after they graduate high school to keep their love of music alive. You may become a software engineer, but don’t ever stop playing guitar or drums or singing. I don’t want them to be just consumers of music, but active participants in music.
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Sneak Preview of Illusion 2022 |
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12/10 - MHS Illusion
12/13 - Parent Teacher Conferences
(Elementary Schools Half-day)
12/14 - SEPTO Meeting
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Mission Statement
To prepare each and every student for college and career readiness, and
to educate all students to be responsible and productive members
of the global community.
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Mahopac Central School District
179 East Lake Boulevard, Mahopac, NY 10541-1666
Phone: 845-628-3415 Fax: 845-628-5502
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