Students bring the magic of broadway to the WHS stage

From belt-out showstoppers to heartfelt ballads, the talented vocalists of Wasilla High School Choir are turning up the heat this weekend for their first annual winter Broadway Cabaret.

Attendees can expect a night of diverse entertainment, emotion, and flair, offering a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the students' passion for performance, all part of the first-ever event of its kind, says WHS Choir Director Paul Rios, who is hoping to make it annual fundraising event.

For this Broadway Cabaret event, Rios explains that it will just be the singers, a microphone, and either a piano or backing tracks, which he hopes highlights the talented students.

“It’s an evening of musical theater performances spanning across the entire history of American Broadway, from classic music to contemporary musicals,” he enthused. And while the theme is American Broadway, Rios says listeners can expect a diverse selection of songs. “They’re covering a whole diverse smattering of different genres within the American Musical Theater space.”

Rios will also be performing, singing “The Next Right Thing,” from the Disney movie ‘Frozen II,’ considered one of the most emotional, raw, and mature songs in the Disney canon, that focuses heavily on grief, depression, and loss, capturing the feeling of being in a dark place and simply trying to move forward.

He says he particularly wanted to do that song as it puts a spotlight on mental health, a topic that he says is often highlighted in mainstream formats, but not so much in films for kids. “It was really cool and brave of Disney to try that out,” he said. “I thought it would be a good song to give my attention to.”

When it came time for the students to select their pieces, Rios says it was a collaboration between him and the students, comprised of a mix of Musical Theater students and choir students stepping out and preparing solo pieces. “I worked with students, gave them suggestions of songs that would fit their voice well, and from there, the students selected their pieces to perform.”

While students helped select the songs, Rios explains they will honor the original emotional intent of the musicals rather than straying from it. “We wanted to honor the original intentionality of the piece.”

Staying true to the intent meant that the students had to research the song and the musical, as well as briefly explaining it ahead of their performances to give audiences a better understanding of the songs, the character performing the song, and a glimpse into the character’s mindset when they sang the song in the musical. “I wanted the students to understand the context, and then have them be able to fill in the blanks for audience members who may not be familiar, who may not have seen the different musicals we’re covering.”

While the performances are all solos, giving the students the opportunity to highlight their voices, Rios says there will be an ensemble performance performed by his Musical Theater class.

More than anything, Rios hopes the show inspires a love for the art form by letting audiences see the kids truly enjoy themselves, finding their voices within the storied tradition of American Musical Theater.

“When you go to a musical, there’s so many emotions you can experience. A musical is really covering a wide range of the human experience and just channeling that through the vehicle of the character-driven songs that are exploring the inner lives of these characters, and what that means.”

In addition to the performances, the choir will be hosting a 50/50 raffle, and snacks will be on sale as well.

“It's my first big community-wide fundraiser event that I'm hosting as the new choral director—and I'm hoping/planning to make it an annual tradition.”

The show will be held on Saturday, February 28, beginning at 6 p.m. at the Wasilla High School Theater. Admission is just $5 and tickets can be bought at the door.