The lights illuminate the auditorium as the members of Yorba Linda High School Theatre take the stage. The program, directed by Cathy Petz, executes numerous award-winning productions that leave viewers in awe. In 2025, the theatre program accomplished one of its greatest milestones – receiving the Macy Award for its spring musical, Bright Star. The impressive sets, vocals, and choreography solely enhance the unforgettable experience of witnessing your peers shine on stage. These statements hold true regarding the program’s upcoming show, “The Music Man”, which opens on March 20th, 2026. 

“The Music Man” is centered around a con artist, Harold Hill, who decides to scam the small town of River City, Iowa, by offering to sell all necessary materials to start a band. He intends to take the money and immediately escape town, but his plans fail when he falls in love with the town’s librarian, Marian Paroo. Nathan Song (12), who plays Harold Hill, states, “The Music Man is a classic,” and it “reminds [him] of Disneyland.” 

As a Broadway musical, The Music Man consists of various theater-specific components, including sets and songs. The Yorba Linda High School Theatre program brings the musical to life with substantial planning, production, and teamwork. According to Matthew Folkin (11), the group starts production “in December, so it takes about three and a half months” to fully prepare the actors and backstage members for opening night.  

Detailed by Hasti Khodabandehlou (12), the process begins with strengthening one’s vocals: Everyone “sits around the piano and [goes] through each song that [they] need to work on, part by part, and by vocal type…then [they] come back together and combine them.” Matthew Folkin (11), part of a four-man quartet, attests to the challenge of working alongside your castmates to blend a range of voices, which makes “the most rewarding part the moments when [their] quartet sounds beautiful…knowing [their] work is starting to pay off.” During this time, they also receive additional guidance from their music director, Nick Bravo.

In addition to exercising vocals and memorizing songs, the group embarks on its choreography-centered rehearsals. At this stage, they bring in choreographers Dylan Shube and Colby Hamann to teach any dance components of the musical. These dances range from solos, select groups, and even the whole production numbers. 

The next step in the production process is blocking, or mapping the movement and positioning of actors on stage. The director designates select rehearsals to block the show, which surprised Hasti Khodabandehlou (12), since they “block routines much earlier than [she] thought and get through the whole show within just a couple of blocking rehearsals.” During blocking, Miss Petz provides active notes and instructs the actors on when and where to go on stage and gives the stage crew their cues. 

Another major piece of the play -creating sets- requires all hands on deck. The remarkable sets seen on stage are entirely handmade. The program designates a weekend where, starting from 8 A.M, parents come in to assist with bringing the sets to life. Within this period, many individuals help assemble the wooden sets or paint fitting scenes. Although it is a tedious process, it serves as a team-building opportunity that brings the company closer together. The final step in production is combining all aspects regarding the musical as a whole. Participants rehearse repeatedly to avoid any potential errors and attempt to perfect it. They continue running it until opening night.

The cast of The Music Man puts a tremendous amount of work into the musical, and in doing so, the time spent together creates unbreakable bonds. According to Brielle Scarborough (10), “all of us are very close, and we are all friends.” Having such a close relationship between cast members is an additional reason why the productions at Yorba Linda High School are phenomenal. Brielle Scarborough (10) also states that their director, Cathy Petz, “is like a second mom…she does everything for us, and we can always come to her about anything. It makes it a very safe and comfortable environment.” The strong bonds between the whole program are evident on and off the stage, adding to what makes the productions so breathtaking.

At the same time, the friendships within the theatre company make it even harder to say goodbye for many seniors. Expressed by Hasti Khodabandehlou (12), “It’s kind of bittersweet, because I wish I did more [productions], but I think [The Music Man] is a really good final show. It’s very fun to deal with everyone here, because this is a big cast.” As for Nathan Song (12), an actor who has been engaging in theatre since his freshman year, “It’s sad to see this path of my life end here, but I’m really glad that I had an amazing time during my 4 years…and that I got to be the music man in my last senior show.”

The Yorba Linda High School Theatre program dedicates consistent effort and time to its shows, between learning songs and dances, as well as building its own sets. I encourage all Yorba Linda High School students to come support the program by watching “The Music Man”, which runs from March 20th to March 28th at the Forum. Filled with humor, fun, and characters with vibrant personalities, “The Music Man” is not one to miss.

Gallery • 2 Photos

Kaitlyn Wang

Displayed are the Yorba Linda High School Theatre Program’s various awards, such as the Macy Award.