In 1954, this school changed its name from Visalia Union to Redwood. In ‘55, the first official “Redwood” class graduated. In 1956, the musical program began. Band and orchestra conductors, choir directors, and drama teachers got together to write a musical for what they called the “All-School Show,” a celebration of everything Redwood does.
Since then, although the tradition to write a show has been dropped, the musical has remained a staple of representation of life on this campus. Choir, dance, drama, orchestra, wood shop, auto, metal shop, agriculture- you name it. The school all comes together to assemble a creation; a collage of all the school can accomplish.
“The live orchestra are Redwood students… we’re the only school in the county, let alone in the valley, that uses students in their orchestra pit… it’s a really unique thing we have here at Redwood.”
Stacy Galvan, Drama teacher
October 18 and 19, auditions were held for the musical that will commence later this year.
Talking about the process, Redwood’s Drama teacher, Stacy Galvan says, “[The students] come in. Everybody sings, everybody acts, everybody dances, then they go home. It’s quite the process.”
Mr. Carrillo, Redwood’s choir teacher says, “After [the first] two audition days, we issued callbacks; a callback is when we want to see a fewer number of kids. It was about 25 or 30 of those kids we called back.”
A total of 75 students ended up auditioning for roles in this year’s show, “Footloose.”
Galvan talks about the musical choice saying, “it’s not the new movie or anything like that, it’s based on the original movie from 1985 with Kevin Bacon, so it has that great 80’s Rock and Pop sound.”
Tessa Hemphill, a senior that took part in the auditions says, “there’s not a bad character in this show.”
Carrillo and Galvan are hoping to see students gain something from participating in the musical. Stating the lessons she hopes students will learn, Galvan says, “problem-solving is number one with anything dealing with theater.”
Carrillo states, “I think there can be some lessons of perseverance, not giving up, not quitting- those kinds of lessons.”
Students took their time October 18 and 19 to audition for the “All-School Show” this year, looking for many differing experiences.
Arlo Olson, a junior that auditioned says, “To me, the musical is about building relationships with people. That’s more important than getting a super-specific role.”
“I’ve been doing musical all four years, as have a lot of people, and I think we just want to spend time with each other; make it the best we can and really impress people with what we come up with.”
Tessa Hemphill, Redwood senior
James Lucio, another senior in Drama says it’s about, “being in something larger than yourself and having a community of people to put on something that’s amazing.”
Last year, COVID-19 stopped a musical from taking place in-person. In its place, “Shrek the Musical” occurred over Zoom.
This year, students and teachers alike are excited to be back, working together; the very thing the “All-School Show” stood for since the beginning- over six decades ago.
Lucio states, “the major difference this year is that people are really excited to come back.”
Hemphill says, “in our auditions, we were all so excited to be back in the rooms, so it was a lot of fun… Everyone has been so anxious to get back there, I just feel a new excitement in the room.”
Teachers are feeling a similar feeling, Galvan says, “being back in person is fantastic… It’s a little nerve-racking for [the teachers] because we have to fall back into, ‘how do we do this?’ but I’m super excited.”
Carrillo states, “I’m just glad to see people making art again… The idea of doing hard work and work ethic through the process of doing the musical, is certainly something kids learn.”
The “All-School Show” was created in 1956, and it represented all Redwood was capable of; teachers and students from all sorts of classes would come together to create art.
Now, after a year of being away, we could all use a little more of getting together, and that’s just what the musical this year intends to give us.
The “All-School Show,” “Footloose,” will take place February 17, 18, and 19, and for all the people at Redwood yearning to get back together to create great things- creating a staple of Redwood- this musical is something to look forward to.
Tags: A&E, arts and entertainment, auditions, Micah Stipech, musical, Redwood, redwood gigantea, redwood high school, redwood journalism, Redwood Musical