The talent within El Monte was on full display at El Monte City School District’s (EMCSD) 3rd Annual Musical Theater Showcase! 400 musical theater students from all 14 EMCSD schools graced the stage at El Monte High School Auditorium. Kids performed song and dance numbers from their respective musicals to the delight of a packed audience, which featured their peers, family members, and school staff.
“It was really cool and awesome to see all the kids giving it all they got,” shared Ella, an 8th-grade Musical Theater student from Durfee. This year’s EMCSD Musical Theater season began in January, and schools have consistently held performances throughout the second half of the school year. Casts begin practicing a couple of months before performance dates, with school communities helping make them all happen. These productions are collaborative endeavors; if you drop by campuses leading up to show dates, you will often see students, staff, families, and volunteers helping directors create beautiful set pieces and costumes. Even on the day of the performances, volunteers are running around helping students with timing, getting to appropriate spots for the next act, and doing makeup touch-ups or costume repairs.
EMCSD began hosting its Musical Theater Showcase in 2024 as a fun and community-driven way to allow students to perform in front of large audiences while bringing families, friends, and community members together. “I want to express my deepest gratitude for the partners in learning we have in this community,” shared Superintendent Dr. Maribel Garcia at this year’s showcase. “We are committed to arts and music…we are so proud of our students and staff for all the work that happens across our district; it is a true collaboration.” The district has won multiple awards in recognition of its commitment and resource allocation to arts and music, including a California School Boards Association Golden Bell and multiple National Association of Music Merchants “Best Communities for Music Education” awards.
Music and experiences are wildly popular amongst students at EMCSD. At the April 20th Board of Education meeting, students from the district’s Superintendent Student Advisory Group presented a recap of the work they did throughout the school year. This included providing feedback on where they would like to see funding used as part of EMCSD’s Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP). Advisory students shared that Music and Experiences were among their top priorities. “Music activities help improve schools because many students are very passionate about music, and if they aren’t, it can spark a passion that can help [expose them] to future careers students may thrive in,” shared Advisory member Sophia.
Musical Theater continues to grow in popularity across EMCSD. For students considering joining next year, Ella has a message for them: “100% do it! It’s a lot of work, but the work is fun!”
EMCSD’s musical season is wrapping up with two more performances left on the calendar. Rio Vista will bring Lion King Jr. to life on May 15th at 6:00pm in their multi-purpose hall, while Cherrylee will host Alice Jr. on May 28th at 5:30pm.
