“Glee” made its national television debut in 2009, and almost overnight, millions of fans were drawn to a world in which bursting out into song and dance in the middle of a high school class was as normal as learning math or history.  And while some may have assumed the idea was scripted fantasy, the concept is actually neither new nor fictional. Although it’s a more niche activity than football or cheerleading, thousands of students all across the United States have participated in show choir since the 1970s.

Once of the most successful groups to come out of the genre is “Powerhouse,” from John Burroughs High School in Burbank, California. They’ve continually redefined what it means to be a show choir, and as a result, have kept participants engaged with – and educated about – the fundamentals of music.  That approach has also created a foundation for accomplishment and opportunity, leading to featured spots as performers on programs like “The Voice,” “Dancing with the Stars,” and the “The Oprah Winfrey Show.”

Over the last ten years in particular, their shows have evolved into something truly magical.  It became apparent to me that these fleeting works of art needed to be preserved in the most thorough ways possible, so I grabbed my camera and started documenting.  Since 2009, I’ve taken thousands of photos of Powerhouse. Their journeys have taken them everywhere from New York to Hong Kong, and I’ve captured as many of those moments along the way as I could.  From humble pancake fundraisers to the backstage halls of network television shows, I wanted to make sure the memories would live on.  And with the pandemic putting a halt to just about everything over the last year, it felt like the right time to write this chapter and celebrate a truly special decade of this amazing group.

I’ve culled the very best of my images and organized them chronologically into one giant volume (it’s over 250 pages!), showcasing their incredible body of work from 2011 to 2020.  I’ve packed it with shots from their two annual headline shows, “Burroughs on Broadway” and “Pop Show,” and capped off each year with a showcase of their incredible competition set.  In between, there are special feature sections like a look at camp life and a tribute to the phenomenal tech crew that keeps the whole engine running.  There’s an area dedicated to special images I’ve created independently, having been inspired by the people and music that make this such a personally meaningful group to me.  There are even some shots that have never been seen before by anyone but myself.

Construction of the book has been a year-long endeavor, and has easily been the most personal and creative process I have embarked on.  That said, it’s also not yet a reality.  This book will only be produced if we reach our fundraising goal before the deadline.  As an “all or nothing” campaign, if we fail to meet the target, nobody is charged for their pledge and the book will simply never exist.  I don’t have the means to put forth all of the publishing expenses up front, so I need your help to bring Powerhouse: Anthology to life.  It’s my love letter to an organization that has literally changed the path of the last decade of my life, and I hope that together we can make it possible for everyone to share these memories for generations to come.

Powerhouse: Anthology

Over 250 pages (final count TBD)

Printed offset on premium 105# paper

8.5 x 11 inches / 22 x 30 cm

Hardcover with stitched binding and gold foil inlay

 As a special thank you to everyone who pledges to help bring this book to life, all supporters will be listed in a special acknowledgement section in the book.

Where will your support go?

100% of the funds raised from the campaign will go to funding the production of the books themselves.  The total publishing cost is actually higher than the Kickstarter goal, so you can be assured that every cent will be used for this purpose.  Books are costly to print in high quality when volumes are low.  They are also fairly heavy, which makes them expensive to ship.  However, as a once-in-a-lifetime memento spanning ten years of history, it was important to me not to cut any corners.

Important notes for Powerhouse families

While I have attempted to feature as many performers in the book as possible, this is not an exhaustive collage of every photo I’ve ever taken.  It is designed to be a high-end art book, featuring the absolute best of my work, with big, vibrant images that in some cases take up the entire page.  As such, it is about telling the story of Powerhouse on a macro level and I can’t guarantee that any particular student will be included.

Additionally, it’s important to note that I was on tour during the entire 2017 competition year.  As such, there are unfortunately no photos of the group during that time.  Of course I absolutely wish there were, but I just wasn’t physically present.  Fortunately, most students are in the group for a couple of years and hopefully everyone involved at that time will still be able to enjoy the book for its overall presentation.  I greatly appreciate everyone’s support over what has been an absolutely incredible period in show choir history!