Parkway schools usually host all-district musical auditions in the spring for a summer production. However, the all-district musical is not happen this year due to the lack of people signing up.
“I feel like at North, it [the audition] wasn’t talked about enough. No one, including me, knew that in order to sign up, you were supposed to fill out the QR code. North’s theater department was also working on a musical so that’s what people’s focus was on,” sophomore Riley Schoene said.
After learning about the vague auditioning process, many showed their frustration and was disheartened since the year before, 2024, it helped loads of students make new friends who are still friends to this day.
“[I was] pretty upset because last year’s all-district musical helped me meet some of my closest friends and now when I go to events with all Parkway, I know a decent amount of people. Those people were all amazing and helped me through a rough time,” Schoene said.
Beyond the social bonds that were formed, the impact of musicals runs even deeper for both students and educators.
“Musicals are a unique art form. They bring together so many skills and interests. There is nothing like the opening number of a musical when it all comes together,” North High’s theatre teacher Chad Little said. “Music feeds the soul and if you allow it to it will take you places you have never dreamed of.”
Even for those not directly involved, simply attending musicals offers a powerful blend of community, entertainment, and emotional connection—making the cancellation all the more disappointing for theatre teachers across the district as well as students who use the summer all-district musical to stay connected and creatively engaged.
“The theatre teachers were all disappointed that we needed to cancel the production. It is rare we get a chance to collaborate with other theatre professionals in our school…An all-district production gives each teacher a new energy and helps replenish our batteries,” Little said.
The cancellation is especially disheartening given the effort already invested and the unique benefits the production brings to both staff and students.
“We had already put in many hours of planning and organizing,” Little said.
While the cancellation of this year’s all-district musical may not seem like a big deal, its absence leaves a noticeable void in the lives of students and teachers who looked forward to its creative and social rewards. Now, their attention shifts to the next production – the Fall Play.
