Performers go Full Throttle at Ellwood

By Alex Hyde

I wasn’t expecting to see belly dancers so close to Easter, but the Wooden Box Theater’s variety show provided that and so much more Saturday night.

Wooden Box Theater’s Daniel Sherrill hosted Charlie’s Angels Nite: Full Throttle at the Ellwood House, 509 N. First St. The show was the sequel to 2012’s Charlie’s Angels Nite.

While this performance was unique and had a lot of variety, it was far too long and could’ve been cut down by at least an hour if it was more organized. As for the quality of the acts, I was pleasantly surprised. This event was quite different from your average show, which was the goal of the director.

“We bring people from all different walks of life into a storyline,” Sherrill said. “The event is storyline-based … . Everything we do is theatrical.”

One act that stood out to me was the belly dancing performance. It was unique and interesting to watch belly dancer Candi Jackman perform. That’s something students and residents don’t see too often in DeKalb.

The modeling aspect of the performance was enjoyable because the models created each of their outfits from scratch. Models had their own senses of style, which allowed them to express themselves through their wardrobes.

Some of the more notable performers at this event were R&B singer David Rae, Daerielle Amber and Trident Deep’s Daniel Baker. Baker opened up the concert with a cover of Tom Petty’s “Mary Jane’s Last Dance,” and continued with original content.

“I enjoyed [performing] and I think that reflected with the audience,” Baker said. “People were cheering and having fun. I had several people ask for demos and stuff, and I got in contact with some people and we’re staying in touch.”