One Time Only
Move over, St. Vincent. Lake Highlands High School has a new crop of pop stars ready to rock Greenville Avenue’s famed Granada Theater. Wildcat senior and show producer Simon Pruitt says the Nov. 8 music showcase will be “One Time Only.”
“The majority of attendees will be students, but we know some parents are coming to support their kids and some teachers are planning to attend, too. The entire community is invited.”
The lineup includes senior Pippy Stockham, a singer/songwriter who’s already done some touring and recording with the help of producer Gael Boom. She’s planning to share four or five of her favorites with the Granada crowd, including her first song, “What Have You Done to Me.”
“I co-wrote it with Gael, who I work so well with, and to this day people tell me it’s their favorite,” says Stockham. “I think that’s because people can feel the emotion – it’s a slower song, while many of my other songs are more upbeat.”
Before the pandemic shut down live music settings, Stockham had been playing at Gas Monkey Live, the Jack Daniels Club at the American Airlines Center and other restaurants, clubs and venues. She’s well known to the Lake Highlands High School crowd, but she’s hoping to connect with a new audience at One Time Only as Lower Greenville patrons wander into the Granada.
“I’ve been thinking of how to introduce myself that night to people who might not know me,” Stockham explains. “I want people to know who I am and what I do and why I love to sing so much and why I’m on the stage in front of them.”
Also playing will be 2020 grad Cholwe, the Violet Daydreamers and others. It will be the perfect mix, Stockham says, of pop, rock, rap and other musical categories.
“When we get together and perform together, we can build each other up,” she says. “When you listen to how someone is approaching a song, you can appreciate it and take away something from it. I take every musical performance with other artists as a learning experience.”
Pruitt thinks it could be a magical evening – for the performers and for the audience.
“I’ve always loved music, and I love putting events together,” he says. “Lake Highlands High School has an unusual number of talented artists, considering we’re not a performing arts school, so I wanted to bring them together for a showcase. Of course, St. Vincent and other artists went here, and we have a great history.”
Pruitt says he’s had to use his imagination to pull off the event.
“I’m not rich and my family’s not rich,” he laughs, “so I’ve had to get pretty creative to pay performers and rent out the Granada.” He held spirit nights at restaurants to raise starter funds and invited a food truck will to the event to feed the crowds and bring in additional cash.
Pruitt, a senior, plans more “One Time Only” events, with a different mix of artists each time. After graduation, he’ll remain in town and enroll in classes at Dallas College while taking advantage of continued partnerships with the Granada and other local venues.
“This is all I’ve thought about for the past few months,” says Pruitt. “I’ve been working to get sponsorships and print posters and sign people to play. I can’t believe it’s really happening. When the first note is played it will be a super adrenaline rush.”
One Time Only kicks off at 7 p.m., and the doors open at 6:15. Tickets are $15 until Nov. 1, when they increase to $20. They may be purchased online here. The floor in the front will be standing room only, but some seating will be available. The Granada is at 3524 Greenville Ave.
