This past Saturday, Redwood Theater students took to the red carpet at the 10th Annual VHSPAS (Visalia High School Performing Arts Showcase), hosted at L.J. Williams Theater. The event celebrated the top theater students from Redwood, El Diamante, Golden West, and Mt. Whitney High Schools. But unlike sports, this wasn’t a night of rivalry—it was one of recognition, respect, and community.
“VHSPAS is the culmination of all four traditional high schools coming together to support each other,” said Redwood Theater Director Stacy Galvan. “We’ve done it for ten years—it’s like the Oscars for Visalia.”
“Unlike sports, where there’s a lot of competition, VHSPAS fosters collaboration.”
Stacy Galvan- Redwood Drama Instructor
Awards are peer-voted, with students from each school recognizing talent at the others. That system, Galvan says, keeps the event rooted in authenticity. “Unlike sports, where there’s a lot of competition, VHSPAS fosters collaboration. Our students go to each other’s shows and become friends. And the awards aren’t popularity contests—they’re based on talent and hard work.”
Redwood students walked away with an impressive number of honors:
Mrs. Galvan, RHS Theater Director (left), Nathan Delgado, ’26 (center) and Jill Hackbarth, choreographer (right) (Photo courtesy S. Galvan)
Fall Play Awards
Most Memorable Scene: “80s Scene” Liam Bradford, Ella Noblitt, Katy Robles, Flyn Olson
“It was special because I got to perform with my best friend,” said Ella Noblitt. “We both already love 80s music, so we brought a lot of fun and passion to the stage.”
Rookie of the Year: Luke Herrema
“Everyone is such a family. You walk in, and they accept you right away,” Herrema said. “Everyone just gets along—it’s amazing.”
Outstanding Female Performance: Katy Robles
“Professor Amore wasn’t super structured, and I related to that,” Robles said. “I like the idea of being more carefree like she is.”
Katy Robles, ’25 and Colton Hayes, ’25 (Photo courtesy S. Galvan)
Outstanding Male Performance: Liam Bradford
“It was a lot of late nights and really hard work. After a while, it becomes muscle memory,” said Bradford. “Then you can start adding your own twist, which makes it even better.”
Musical Awards
Most Memorable Scene: “Les Poissons and Mayhem” Owen Seirdsma, Connor West, Melina Carrillo, Evelyn Mishler, Isabella Medrano, Justin Valdez, Liam Bradford, Eli Peters, Emily Brennan, Walter Nichols, Flyn Olson, Amelia Fultz, Audrey Cussen, Diego Guzman, Gurtaj Sandhu, Kai Korsgaden, Luke Herrema, Michael Rodriguez, Sofia Guzman
“We all had really good chemistry, and it was fun,” said Melina Carrillo. “Everyone was able to connect with each other, and it just flowed really well.”
Rookie of the Year: Nathan Delgado
“My favorite moments were backstage after performing—just relaxing and talking with everyone,” Delgado said. “Being in the spotlight was nerve-racking at first, but I got used to it, and it was great.”
Outstanding Female Performance: Katy Robles
“Going from a super geeky, happy character to someone evil and bitter was a huge shift,” said Robles. “It was a challenge, but I learned a lot about myself, other people, and life in general.”
Outstanding Male Performance: Connor West
“I learned to let myself be more expressive and not so scared,” West said. “Playing a very expressive character pushed me out of my comfort zone—and that really helped me grow.”
Elle Pinheiro, 27 and Jill Hackbarth, choreographer (photo courtesy S. Galvan)
Technical and Specialty Awards
Technician of the Year: Emily Brennan
“It’s not just one moment—it’s all the work I did on the lighting for the fall play, The History of Dating,” Brennan said. “That’s what I’m most proud of.”
Choreographer’s Award: Elle Pinheiro
“I wanted the choreography to be fun to watch but also fun for the cast to perform,” said Pinheiro. “I’m proud of the number I was in—we even learned a little tap, and everyone worked really hard to make it look clean on stage.”
A full video of the VHSPAS showcase can be found here.
