By: Isaac Reynoso
With this years musical coming up, it is a no-brainier that students in choir would be filling up slots in the cast list.
It is a Redwood tradition to hold some of the greatest musicals in our own LJ Williams theater every year. Musical season is a time where some of the best young singers, actors, and dancers get their time to shine under the spotlight.
This year the musical being performed is Footloose and the excitement from both the students as well as the performers is at an all time high.
James Lucio, ‘22 began singing in his Junior year. He has not been singing for very long but enjoys it; he says, “I think singing is a way to express oneself when words can’t and I think it’s a way to release a lot of emotion at one time, it’s kind of like an outlet for that sort of thing, at least for me.” Lucio says.
Singing means a lot to Lucio and he uses his knowledge of the music as well as rhythms in order to learn and memorize his music for both the musical and for choir.
“The songs that are sung in choir and the songs that are sung in the musical are drastically different.” Lucio says.
Lucio says, “(The songs in choir) There’s a lot more structure to them, the way you sing it is a lot more complicated, the musical it’s more of a pop style.” He elaborates on this, saying, “There’s a lot more technique and support you have to use.”
Camryn Deisman, ‘22 began singing in eighth grade and uses music and singing as a way to lift up her mood.
Like Lucio, Deisman uses her skills in music to figure out the notes but for the musical, she says “For the musical I listen to a lot of the Broadway tracks online, just to help me learn my music.”
Even though the music in the musical and choir have different styles Deisman expresses interest in both, she says, “I personally like to sing both of them, even if they are different I like the two contrasting sounds.”
Brooke O’Leary, ‘22 has been singing for almost her entire life and began participating in theater when she was six years old.
O’Leary says that singing means a lot to her as well, she says, “Everytime I’m in a bad mood it lifts my spirits, same with choir, whenever I’m having a bad day I go into choir and I automatically feel better.”
O’Leary has been doing musical theater for so long that she has learned some very interesting ways to memorize lines, “One of the tricks I like to do is record voice memos on my phone saying the other person’s line and then saying my line in the space that I leave in the voice memo.”
Lucio, Deisman, and O’Leary encourage everyone to go see Footloose when it is performed on February 17-19. Some of their favorite songs that you may want to look out for include “Holding out for a Hero”, “Almost Paradise”, “I’m Free”, and “Learning to be Silent.”
Isaac Reynoso
Isaac Reynoso '23, is a Journalist currently working as one of the editors for the Gigantea's Arts section. He enjoys participating in as well as learning about the performing arts as well as art in general. In his free time he enjoys listening to music and competing as one of the members of the Redwood esports team.
Tags: choir, music, musicals, Redwood, redwood choir, redwood high school, redwood journalism, redwood rangers, redwoodmusical, rhs, visalia ca