LBW Community College Ensemble directors Johnny Brewer and Greg Aplin agree this year has been one of the best years ever for the ensemble .

“This has been one of the best shows that we have ever put together,” Brewer said. “The kids are great and it has more variety than it has an in while.”

Brewer said that the students this year have had more input into the show than in past years.

“In terms of what we do in the show, the students have been contributing more this year,” Brewer said. “Like, they will always say, ‘What if we try this?” or “What if we do this instead?’ We just redid the beginning of the show, based on an idea that Steadman Glenn had.”

Aplin and Brewer both agreed that the vibe of rehearsals was what made them realize that they were having a better year.

“The crowds came out and reacted like we expected them to,” Brewer said. “This feeling was more of a personal feeling that we get from rehearsal everyday and from the performances, but from our perspective. For me personally, when it is Friday, I am ready for it to be Monday again, just to see what we can do. I haven’t felt like that in a long time.”

Brewer said that this year’s ensemble bought into the whole idea of what the ensemble is.

“There is just something about this group of kids,” Brewer said. “They have completely given themselves to the ensemble to the point where they are always asking me, ‘What are we working on tomorrow?’ Nathan, our drummer, always asks me what the game plan is tomorrow, so they have really bought in to the idea.”

Aplin said that a lot of the success has come from the students themselves.

“When every part is filled in the ensemble and the kids are ready to go,” Aplin said. “They do everything themselves.”

This is Red Level High School graduate Trey Wilkerson’s last year in the ensemble. He said that he has wanted to be in the ensemble since he was in kindergarten.

“I remember seeing them in kindergarten at Andalusia,” Wilkerson said. “And I have wanted to do it ever since then. I have always loved music and I have always sang, so I thought that the ensemble would be a perfect way for me to do that, because I was shy until I got into ensemble.”

Wilkerson said that the best part of the ensemble is performing for the kids at the different elementary schools in the county, but the most challenging part for him has been how time consuming it is.

“I am also in the production of Mamma Mia, so it has been so hard between that, ensemble and school,” Wilkerson said. “I don’t have time for anything else, but at least I am doing what I love to do.”

With ensemble auditions happening next week, Wilkerson said that people that are auditioning need to make sure they don’t hold back.

“You have to give it everything that you have,” Wilkerson said. “Don’t hold back at all.”

Wilkerson said that the thing he will miss the most about ensemble is the connections that he has made.

“I’m going to miss the people,” Wilkerson said. “We have become a family and have gotten so close.”

After LBW, Wilkerson plans to attend Troy University and major in vocal performance with the hopes of making it on Broadway one day.

He is the son of Crystal Peters.