Episode 11: The Talent Show

Hi there, and welcome back to Classes with Cass—the podcast where you learn English through stories! I’m your host, Cass, and today’s story is a mix of courage, nerves… and a little bit of drama.

In this episode, you’ll meet Elijah—a student who’s about to step into the spotlight for the very first time. You’ll hear everyday English vocabulary related to school, music, emotions, and unexpected situations.

This story is told in the past tense, which is often used when we talk about experiences, events, or memories. So as you listen, pay attention to how the past simple is used—words like walked, sang, forgot, and smiled. Also pay attention to the use of the past perfect tense used in this story, and notice how it works differently than the past simple, talking about events that happened before another action in the past. 

You can follow along with the full transcript on my website: classeswithcass.com.

If you’re enjoying this podcast, don’t forget to follow it on Spotify, leave a rating, or share it with a friend. And if you’d like to support future episodes, you can make a small donation on my site under each episode transcript. Every bit helps to keep the stories coming!

Now let’s begin.

---

Sure, he sang in the shower. He sang in the car with his older sister. He even sang quietly while walking home from school.

But standing on a stage? In front of his classmates? That was new.

He wasn’t the kind of guy people expected to see in the spotlight. He was quiet, reserved, and always wore his headphones. Most kids knew him as “that guy who always hums during math class.”

But Elijah had a voice—a good one. Deep, smooth, and full of feeling. He had been secretly practicing a song for the school talent show for weeks.

The morning of the show, Elijah stood in front of the bathroom mirror. He wore his cleanest white running shoes, a freshly washed hoodie, and a silver necklace his grandma had given him.

“You got this,” he whispered to his reflection. “Just like in rehearsal.”

At school, the auditorium was buzzing. Chairs filled up with students, teachers, and even some parents. Balloons were tied to the walls, and a giant banner read: LINCOLN HIGH TALENT SHOW 2025

Elijah’s name was number 10 on the program. He had checked earlier, hoping he wouldn’t be first.

He sat backstage, legs bouncing with nerves. A group of dancers went before him, followed by a kid doing magic tricks. His best friend, Mateo, walked by and gave him a thumbs up. “You ready, man?”

Elijah nodded, though his stomach said no.

He looked down at the lyrics one last time. He didn’t need them—he had memorized every word. But holding the paper made him feel safer.

A teacher called out: “Elijah Thomas? You’re up next.”

He stood. His hands felt sweaty. His heart beat fast.

The emcee’s voice echoed through the auditorium: “Please welcome … Elijah Thomas!”

Applause. Lights. The piano began.

Elijah walked slowly onto the stage. The microphone stood in front of him like a challenge.

He took a breath. Then another. And then… he started to sing.

The first few lines came out a little shaky. His voice trembled. But the words were there. The melody flowed.

Then came the second verse—stronger. He looked out into the crowd and spotted his mom in the fourth row. She smiled at him, hand over her heart.

He was doing it.

But just before the final chorus—his mind blanked.Gone.He had just reached the part he was most nervous about.

He stood in silence. The pianist slowed down, waiting.

Elijah’s mouth opened. But nothing.

A few people shifted in their seats. One kid coughed. His face burned with embarrassment.

And then—he stepped back from the mic. Just a little. Just for a second.

He closed his eyes, took a breath, and whispered the next line to himself. It had come back.

He stepped forward—and belted the final verse like it was his own.

The crowd clapped. His voice soared.

When the song ended, the audience stood and cheered. Elijah exhaled, a shaky laugh escaping his chest. He bowed, then quickly walked offstage.

Backstage, he leaned against the wall, heart pounding.

Mateo ran up. “Dude. You almost gave me a heart attack—but you killed it!”

Elijah shook his head. “I forgot the words.”

“Yeah, but then you came back super strong,” Mateo grinned. “That’s what people will remember.”

After the show, a group of students surrounded him in the hallway.

“That was amazing,” someone said. “You have a cool voice!” “Are you gonna try out for choir next year?”

Elijah just smiled. He felt lighter. All the stress he had carried that morning was gone.

Later at dinner, his mom gave him a tight hug.“I’m proud of you,” she said. “Even when you panicked, you didn’t give up. That takes guts.”

Elijah grinned. “My voice kind of cracked too.”

His little sister said, “It cracked in the cool way, though!”

He laughed. “That’s not a thing.”

But maybe… it was.

---

Let’s look at some helpful words and expressions from today’s episode! These are great for talking about school events, music, or moments when you feel nervous:

• Auditorium – A big room for performances or meetings

• Mic (short for microphone) – Used to make your voice louder

• Nerves – Feeling worried or anxious before something

• Shaky – Not steady, like your hands or voice when you’re nervous

• Blank out – When you forget something suddenly

• Chorus – The part of a song that repeats

• Belt (a song) – To sing it loudly and with power

• Crack (a voice) – When the sound of your voice breaks suddenly

Practice These Sentences Out Loud:

• “I sang in the school auditorium last week.”

• “I was so nervous, I blanked out for a second.”

• “Even though my voice cracked, I kept going!”

Thanks for listening to today’s episode of Classes with Cass! I hope you enjoyed Elijah’s talent show story and learned a few new words and expressions.

This story can be related to learning and using a new language like English, I know how scary it could be, but remember: being nervous is normal. What matters is that you keep going. Just like Elijah—take a breath, step up to the mic, and finish strong.

Want to keep practicing? Listen to this story again and repeat some of the phrases out loud. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast so you never miss a new episode.

Until next time—stay brave, stay curious, and remember… the spotlight might be scary, but it’s where growth happens.

See you soon!