MARION — Parents sat in chairs, and the performers sat on the floor in front of the stage until called up for their acts. It may sound strange, until you realize that the performers were Sippican Elementary school students. 

When not on stage on May 23, performers laughed, mouthed along, filmed, did the classic concert arm wave, clapped along, or gave friends hugs or high fives when they returned from performing. 

On stage, the students danced, sang, did gymnastics, played piano or other instruments and tried their hand at comedy. Audience members who glanced quickly at Mikaela Unick’s act description could have been excused for thinking that it said “singing ‘Blackbird,’” like so many other of the entries did with various songs.  But Unick was actually signing along with the classic Beatles song. 

Ashton Beach dressed as Freddie Mercury and sang “We Will Rock You,” but broke character to say a polite little “thank you,” before he left the stage.   

Two students dedicated their acts to their family, Lyric Beecher and Rayn Lauradin, who dedicated her rendition of “A Million Dreams” to her mother in heaven. 

In between acts, the show’s organizers, called The Kindness Crew, presented mock commercial breaks, a breaking news alert with an anti-litter message and other fun and funny messages.