A quintessential aspect of Concert Choir is its biannual Broadway trips, and this year’s first excursion was no exception. All 31 vocalists in the class, along with chorus teacher Barry Wyner, English teacher Mary Kirby, and assistant musical director Michael Berrios, traveled to Manhattan on Thursday, Nov. 7. The students attended a private rehearsal workshop for Back to the Future: The Musical (BTTF), followed by witnessing the masterpiece, The Outsiders musical. Many students in the advanced chorus described the day as an unforgettable experience.
The field trip commenced at the beginning of second period as students gathered in the orchestra room, preparing to embark on the Long Island Railroad. Singers donned a variety of outfits ranging from jeans to shorts to leggings; even some who had already seen the show sported their The Outsiders merch.
Stop number one of the day was, of course, Dunkin’ Donuts. After being refueled by caffeine and in two cases, a coffee cake muffin, students returned half a block south to Ripley Grier Studios for the day’s first adventure. Ripley Grier is renowned for being the world’s largest rehearsal studio, home to dance studios and audition spaces. For Concert Choir’s purposes, the ensemble experienced a private rehearsal workshop for the opening number of Back to the Future: The Musical through Broadway Workshop, a program devoted to inspiring young artists around New York City. The workshop was led by Joshua Kenneth Allen Johnson, a swing in BTTF who understudies the roles of Mayor Goldie Wilson and Marvin Berry. Additionally, students were vocally supported by Musical Director Camille Johnson.
During the 90-minute session, Concert Choir singers spent roughly 30 minutes learning an excerpt of the lyrics, while the rest of the session was devoted to the choreography. By the end of the workshop, the students’ harmonies and dance skills blended into a professional-level performance. Before departing to the next stop, students were given the opportunity to attend a Q&A session. In the Q&A, Joshua and Camille, alongside James Scarola, an administrative director at Broadway Workshop, answered queries such as how to stay conditioned, in shape, and inspired in the theater industry.
Joshua offered advice for people who want to pursue theater in any medium: Have a life outside of it. “I had a teacher who used to emphasize being a multi-hyphenate, being more than just a singer, dancer, and actor,” Joshua shared. “They’re going to be the things that recharge you when theater feels like it’s draining you a little bit,” he added. Additionally, he emphasized how rarely characters on stage are people in musical theater; having the life experience beyond what goes into a production allows performers to channel their characters that much better. “To get that life experience outside of theater, you can then bring it back to your art and have sort of a touch point for what that is on stage,” Joshua explained.
Once the choir students bid farewell to their workshops hosts, they made their way to Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre for the most anticipated part of the day: the musical. Staying relatively true to Susie Hinton’s original novel, The Outsiders brings a reimagined taste to the classic story of found family, class separation, and staying gold. Needless to say, the musical tugged at many of the students’ heartstrings, leaving nearly the entire class in tears at the conclusion of the show. Even more special was the Playbill insert wishing “A big Tulsa welcome to Lynbrook High School,” dedicating a performance about teenagers, to teenagers.
“I was completely blown away by the show. It really exceeded my expectations. The sound and lighting design were simply incredible. The effects were truly amazing. The talent was also incredible,” junior Daniel Berrios gushed. Similar to his choirmates, the show impacted Berrios on a personal level, especially the song “Great Expectations” led by Brody Grant, who plays Ponyboy Curtis. “When [Grant] first sang ‘Great Expectations,’ I was at a loss for words. When he got to the chorus of the song, I was just smiling, and the meaning of the song itself really hit home for me—trying to live up to the expectations of everyone around you but struggling to do so,” Berrios confessed.
Following the emotional performance, students rushed to the stage door for Playbill signings and to snap pictures with their favorite cast members. The day ended with students still riding the high on the train ride home.
Wyner finds these Concert Choir Broadway trips to be valuable, memorable experiences, and this year’s first trip was just that and more. “It’s always a bonding experience to see a musical with your friends, but [The Outsiders] in particular has such relatable and heavy themes that I think it made it extra, extra special. We all felt the powerful emotions of this show, and to feel strong emotions, to cry together, is like baring your soul a little bit, and it brings us that much closer,” Wyner shared. These trips are so impactful that students like Berrios encouraged people beyond the Concert Choir circle to get into the city to see the musical: “The Outsiders is a truly special and life-changing musical that I think all high schoolers would benefit from seeing!”
