With the start of a new semester, the choir program is putting together their second big fundraiser for the year, with the first being Rebel Revue from the fall. For this event though, Director Charles Flores decided to put a new spin on the performance, and the result can only be described as magical. The Hays choir room will soon be transformed into a Disney-themed wonderland, and it is entirely geared toward the kids of the community.

On Saturday Feb. 8, choir students will host their “Magical Musical Tea Party,” an interactive show for local families to enjoy. There are two showtimes, 1:30 and 4:30 pm, and each will last a little over an hour. Flores and the choir boosters have worked together to include a variety of activities, such as sing-alongs, dancing and a parade where kids can flaunt their favorite Disney costumes.

The tea party is almost entirely student-run: choir students will either be performing as a specific character, serving guests with food or helping out behind-the-scenes, and all will be dressed to fit the magical Disney theme. Those that auditioned to sing in the show are hard at work rehearsing at least once a week. To Flores and the students, this show is about more than raising money because it is an opportunity to connect with younger kids who are interested in joining the choir program.

“I’m encouraging people to attend this for two reasons: we have a lot of children from the local elementary schools that feed into our program, and this is a good opportunity for those kids to see what students are doing at the high school level. It’s also a fun way to support a really great program with really great kids,” Flores said. 

Both the students and the director have high hopes for this event. Flores has been communicating with a different director who has been doing this for years at her school, and the feedback from her community is extremely positive. Flores emphasized that connecting with the kids is the most important aspect of this fundraiser, and with all of the fun activities planned, he is optimistic that elementary students will find the tea party just as magical as he does.

“I’m excited because I used to be an elementary music teacher and I really like that age group. I love opportunities where older students have a chance to interact with younger students. It’s great for elementary kids to see what’s ahead of them. Even in those younger grades, it really makes a good impression,” Flores said.