*Please note: color treatment can change depending on poster/playbill image
FEATURING
Honors Choir • Honors Women’s Chorus
Concert Choir • Bel Canto • Vocal Jazz
*Please note: color treatment can change depending on poster/playbill image
DIRECTED BY Megan Carvale
FEB 26 | 7 PM
Welcome to the 2025/26 arts season at Orange Lutheran High School! For more than 50 years, the Lord has done marvelous things at Lutheran High School of Orange County. Since 2003, the Nechita Center has been a place where the talents, skills, and abilities of our students have been joyfully displayed. Through these gifts, and under the guidance of talented and creative teachers, directors, technical directors, and leaders, the Lord continues to use the Arts program to share the eternal message of salvation found in Jesus Christ with students, parents, donors, and the greater Lancer community. At Orange Lutheran, we believe it is entirely possible to remain faithful to Jesus Christ, our Savior, while pursuing and achieving excellence in the arts.
Whether you are enjoying a musical, concert, play, art exhibit, recital, or lecture, it is wonderful to attend an event in the Nechita Center. It’s not the space that makes the event special, but rather the dedication, hard work, and diligence of faithful students and leaders who pour themselves into each production. This year, hundreds of students will participate in the events that take place in “the Nechita”. They will sing, dance, play instruments, act, draw, create, and use their amazing abilities, gifts, and skills.
The Fall Concert will open our season this year, followed closely by Catch Me If You Can. Before we know it, Christmas arrives, where we celebrate the birth of our Savior with instruments, song, and dance. A fan favorite production of Charlotte’s Web will lead us into a vocal concert of Let’s Go to the Movies. You will not want to miss the Dance Student Showcase stepping up just before Into The Woods. Truthfully, it’s difficult to choose my favorite between the Instrumental Student Showcase and The Best of Broadway. A highlight of the year is our amazing Annual Art Show in May, where our visual arts are in full display. Finally, be sure to save the date for Night of Worship! We close the year being reminded of the work of our Master Artist who has created and designed each of us in His image, to the Glory of God.
Thank you for being here, and enjoy the show!
Dr. Mary K. Scott CEO & Executive Director
What an amazing start we’ve had to this semester!
Honors Women’s Chorus led worship at Christ Lutheran, Costa Mesa, the first week of the new year. There’s absolutely nothing I can think of that is a better way to start the year than lifting our voices in worship together. Honors Choir has had a busy performance schedule, having just returned from a ministry tour to the Bay Area. While on tour, Honors Choir students ministered to the homeless at the Bay Area Rescue Mission, sang familiar melodies to residents at retirement homes, worshipped on the capitol steps in Sacramento, and performed outside on the streets of San Francisco. I am so proud of these kids and so grateful to have a front-row seat to watch them use their gifts to glorify the Lord.
As if all of that wasn’t enough, just last week, our students were blessed to have a master class with Terron Brooks. Mr. Brooks has an expansive resume, which includes performing as Simba on Broadway in The Lion King. Concert Choir, Honors Women’s Chorus, and Honors Choir performed tonight’s finale, “He Lives in You,” for Terron Brooks. I love how he helped the students bring this song to life. He talked about how, even though the song is about the spirit of a lion, as Christians, we can sing it about the spirit of God living within our hearts. Moments like this are truly what set Orange Lutheran Performing Arts apart. Thank you for being here tonight to support these talented Vocal Music students. There are so many movies that have shaped pop culture over the years, and what is a movie without music? I hope the songs our students sing tonight will tug at your heartstrings, bring back a fond memory, or simply give you an hour of wonderful entertainment!
Now, let's go to the movies!
Megan Carvale Director of Vocal Music
O FORTUNA
Excalibur • All Choirs
PURE IMAGINATION
Carl Orff
Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse
Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory • Peyton Simon & Maddie Pratt
ALWAYS REMEMBER US THIS WAY
Lady Gaga, Natalie Hemby, A Star is Born • Francesca Lowe
Hillary Lindsey and Lori McKenna
OVER THE RAINBOW .................................................................
The Wizard of Oz • Bel Canto
I’M A BELIEVER
Shrek • Concert Choir
THE POWER OF LOVE
Back to the Future • Kyle Monson
Arr. Russ Robinson
Neil Diamond
Huey Lewis, Chris Hayes, and Johnny Colla
IF I AIN’T GOT YOU ....................................... Alicia Keys; Arr. Matthew Chalmers
Confessions of a Shopaholic • Vocal Jazz featuring Lily Elliott and Kerry Marsh
REMEMBER ME ..................................
Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez
Coco • Aiden Rodriguez
SONGS OF A DISNEY PRINCESS
Honors Women’s Chorus featuring Sophie Barzak, Abby Spatacean, Ava Tolks, Olivia Adams, and Sunday Wang
Arr. Mac Huff
A DREAM IS A WISH YOUR HEART MAKES ...................... Mack David, Al Hoffman, Cinderella and Jerry Livingston
PART OF YOUR WORLD .........................................
Alan Menken and Howard Ashman
The Little Mermaid
A WHOLE NEW WORLD ........................................................
Alan Menken and Tim Rice Aladdin
COLORS OF THE WIND
Pocahontas
REFLECTION
Mulan
Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz
Matthew Wilder and David Zippel
MY GIRL
Smokey Robinson and Ronald White; Arr. Mac Huff
My Girl • Honors Choir Men featuring Sam Utu • Featured bass player: Nick Krochman
STUPID CUPID
Howard Greenfield and Neil Sedaka; Arr. Roger Emerson
The Princess Diaries • Honors Choir Women featuring Aylania LeBlanc
FALLING SLOWLY
Once • Abby Bustrum and Zeke Southall
Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova
MOVIE FAVORITES MEDLEY............................................... Arr. Megan Carvale
STAND OUT Tevin Campbell
A Goofy Movie • Brandon Paulo
WHAT WAS I MADE FOR?
The Barbie Movie • Ava Schnell and Sophia Zabka
Billie Eilish
I GOT YOU BABE Sonny Bono
Groundhog Day • Emily Houssels and Brogan Driscoll
TIGHTROPE .................................................................................
Benj Pasek and Justin Paul
The Greatest Showman • Lauren Allen
YOU’VE GOT A FRIEND IN ME .................................................................. Randy Newman
Toy Story • Simon Gorgy
DON’T YOU FORGET ABOUT ME
The Breakfast Club • Braydon Overton
MOON RIVER
Breakfast at Tiffany’s • Faith Novak
Keith Forsey and Steve Schiff
Henry Mancini and Johnny Mercer
RING OF FIRE June Carter and Merle Kilgore
Walk the Line • Eli Zarubin
THIS COULD BE Marvin Yancy and Charles Jackson
The Parent Trap • Angie LeBlanc, Lily Dienhart and Kayla Keppler
I DON’T WANNA MISS A THING.................................................................... Diane Warren
Armageddon • Corey Navarro and Rebecca Yu
ANOTHER DAY OF SUN
Justin Hurwitz, Benj Pasek, and Justin Paul
La La Land • Honors Choir featuring Corey Navarro and Jemma McCabe
FOOLS WHO DREAM
La La Land • Jemma McCabe
Justin Hurwitz, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul
HE LIVES IN YOU ........................................Mark Mancina, Jay Rifkin, and Lebo M
The Lion King • All Choirs featuring Irae Jennings Arr. Mark Brymer
HONORS CHOIR
Lauren Allen
Abby Bustrum
Lily Dienhart
Brogan Driscoll
Lily Elliott
Juliet Funa
Simon Gorgy
Emily Houssels
DIRECTED BY MEGAN CARVALE
Irae Jennings
Kayla Keppler
Nick Krochman
Angie LeBlanc
Aylania LeBlanc
Francesca Lowe
Jemma McCabe
Kyle Monson
HONORS WOMEN’S CHORUS
Olivia Adams
Kelyn Aquino
Eden Arana
Sophie Barzak
Melody Bedourian
Lucy Brown
Ella Busch
Cam Delja
Quinn Farless
CONCERT CHOIR
Liv Adams
Ellie Barnhill
Noah Cortez
Alex Fish
Rilyn Gapik
Charlotte Graham
Hannah Gullickson
Leah Harness
Mia Helmick
Rory Longridge
Melody Lopez
Janella Lua
Liv Owen
Corey Navarro
Faith Novak
Braydon Overton
Brandon Paulo
Madeline Pratt
Aiden Rodriguez
Ava Schnell
Peyton Simon
Zeke Southall
Sam Utu
Rebecca Yu
Sophia Zabka
Eli Zarubin
DIRECTED BY MEGAN CARVALE
Sophia Owens
Alyssa Palmer
Amanda Pena
Esti Ross
Cindy Ruiz
Abby Spatacean
Gabby Stankus
Jillian Taylor
Ava Tolks
DIRECTED BY MEGAN CARVALE
Madison Haydis
Elias Kawaja
Kiingbaraka Kizzee
AJ Krochman
Amber Liu
Colt Potter
Paul Rinden
Grace Tuipulotu
BEL CANTO DIRECTED BY MEGAN CARVALE
Olivia Adams
Lauren Allen
Abby Bustrum
VOCAL JAZZ
Lily Elliott
Nick Krochman
Lily Elliott
Rilyn Gapik
Mia Helmick
Kayla Keppler
Aylania LeBlanc
Francesca Lowe
DIRECTED BY SARAH SAMUELS
Aylania LeBlanc
Jemma McCabe
Kyle Monson Faith Novak
Bridgette Van Blarcom
Sunday Wang
Rebekah Wasim
Melanie Yang
Clara Yim
Sonia Zhuang
Victoria Un
Lex Von Esch
Addison Winterswyk
Danni Wu
Jemma McCabe
Faith Novak
Ava Schnell
Braydon Overton
Zeke Southall
Class of 2026
Over her four years of high school, Emily Houssels has been involved in every aspect of performing arts at Orange Lutheran. She has sung in Honors Women’s Chorus and Honors Choir with Mrs. Carvale, danced in Intro to Dance and Musical Theatre Dance with Ms. Jenn, taken all three Acting classes with Ms. Everhart and even dabbled in Instrumental Music with Mr. Zeilinger! Emily has participated in all of the musicals and plays she could through our theater program and also worked tech for Shakespeare in Love. To say that Emily enjoys the arts is a major understatement. This girl has an evident, contagious passion for the stage and for maximizing her God-given talents.
What is your favorite memory on the Nechita stage?
It’s so hard to choose! When we sang "What is This Feeling?” from Wicked and sang “How Can I Keep from Singing” with Honors Women’s Chorus, hanging with the pink ladies in Grease and the family dinner scene in Catch Me if You Can; I also loved performing on marimba in the Instrumental Student Showcase!
In the future I plan to… Be a voice actor or manage a theater.
What inspires you?
I’m most inspired by the people around me. I love seeing people work hard for what they want in life, and I aspire to do the same. I especially see this in my parents, who have shown me how to grow in my interests.
What would people be surprised to know about you?
I love listening to older artists on Yacht Rock Radio, like Jim Croce, Billy Joel, Stevie Wonder, and Jerry Rafferty.
When you’re not singing, acting, & dancing, where can people find you? At Disneyland, getting ready to go on Space Mountain with my friends!
What teacher made the biggest impact on you and why?
This question is so hard because I have had so many amazing teachers, but Mr. Zeilinger helped me learn to play a new instrument. He believed in me and taught me that I could do anything if I worked hard enough. I am so grateful to him for that!
Favorite Bible Verse
1 Corinthians 13:4-8
Director of Vocal Music Megan Carvale**
Vocal Jazz Director Sarah Samuels**
Vocal Music Accompanist Daniel Pappas
Technical Director David Bartle
Associate Technical Director ...................................... Cory Cooke
Lighting Design Ryan Lindhart
Lighting Assistant Trevor Clayton
Video Broadcast Operator Azara Seek
Audio 1 Manny Rodriguez
Audio 2 Flavio Diaz
Stage Manager Rochelle Garcia
Student Stage Manager ........................................ Christine Paul*
Playback Ryan Streeter
Deck Hands . Emily Stark and Chris Lee
Student Deck Lead . Savannah Durham*
Keyboard Daniel Pappas
Guitar .............................................................. Noel Kim
Bass Dana Decker
Drums Art Pacheco
Any video and/or audio recording of this production is strictly prohibited. Please silence all electronic devices.
The Nechita Center is equipped with assistive listening equipment. Please see an usher or Nechita staff for assistance with a receiver.
Refreshments are available for purchase during intermission at select performances.
Restrooms are located in the Nechita Center lobby near the entrance to the theater.
CEO & Executive Director
Mary K. Scott, Ed.D
Head of School
Jack Preus, Ed.D
Chief Financial Officer
Justin Stewart
Chief Development Officer
Bruce Freeman
Chief Operations Officer
Jeremy Johnston
Director of the Arts
Morgan Perez
Director of Instrumental Music
Aaron Zeilinger
Director of Vocal Music
Megan Carvale
Director of Dramatic Arts
Chelsey Everhart
Director of Dance
Jennifer Blomquist
Director of Worship Arts
Karissa Raebel
Technical Director
David Bartle
Asst. Technical Director
Cory Cooke
Visual & Media Arts Department Chair
Jeannie Mooney
Visual & Media Arts Teacher
Ariel Gjersvold
WELCOME TO THE TEAM! MORGAN
Visual & Media Arts Teacher
Jane Klammer
Yearbook Advisor
Gianna Flores
Director of Marketing and Communications
Jeff Brouwer
Creative Content Manager, Activities
Chris Cornish
Graphic Designer
Kelly Early
Scheduling & Events Coordinator
Kirsten Resha
PEREZ, DIRECTOR OF THE ARTS
I’m thrilled to join the OLu family as your new Director of the Arts! With over 20 years of experience building and leading arts programs, I’ve had the privilege of mentoring students who now perform and create professionally around the world. The past months have been amazing - getting to know our incredible OLu Arts families and the talented students who bring so much heart and dedication to their craft has been truly inspiring. I can’t wait to see all that we will create together in the year ahead!
THANK YOU TO OUR 2025-2026 SEASON SPONSORS
GOLD SPONSORS
BLAINE CAYA & FAMILY
STANDARD DRYWALL, INC.
3100 Palisades Drive
Corona, CA 92880 951-256-8656 standarddrywall.com
ST. PAUL’S LUTHERAN CHURCH & SCHOOL
901 E. Heim Avenue
Orange, CA 92865
714-637-2640 admissions@splsorange.org splsorange.org
CORPORATE SPONSORS
ROBERT B. HOUSSELS, ESQ. TRUST & ESTATE ATTORNEY
901 Dover Drive, Ste. #101 Newport Beach, CA 92660
949-870-5469
robert.esq@houssels.biz
SA RECYCLING
3200 E. Frontera Street
Anaheim, CA 92806
714-630-8901
obravo@sarecycling.com sarecycling.com
LEGACY SPONSORS
CHARITY ON WHEELS
3152 E. La Palma Ave, Suite D & E Anaheim, CA 92806 714-406-3049
info@charityonwheels.com charityonwheels.com
Ronan Southall, Class of 2023
School Bus and Motorcoach Services
Serving Southern California 714-892-5000
edettmer@pacificcoachways.com pacificcoachways.com
Erin Dettmer, Class of 1998
At Orange Lutheran, we believe the arts are integral to a well-rounded education. Through your generous sponsorship, you help our student performers explore their creativity and God-given talents and connect your brand with a community that values artistic excellence. Your support fuels their growth, allowing these young artists to express their ideas and develop into tomorrow’s creative thinkers.
As a sponsor, you’ll gain exclusive advertising opportunities at our performing arts shows, including in-person and livestream audiences, reaching up to 15,000 people, depending on the sponsorship level. This partnership offers your brand valuable exposure while enhancing your relationship within a vibrant, engaged community.
By aligning with OLu Arts, you’re investing in both the future of the arts and your own brand’s visibility.
Please visit lhsoc.org/sponsor-arts for more information.
are proud to support the
at Orange Lutheran High School
3D Design
Around the World
Art
Baseball
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Beach Volleyball
Creative Worship Band
Crocheting
Culinary
Dance
Digital Photography
Dinosaurs
Entrepreneur/Podcast
Esports
Flag Football
Forensics
Golf
Graphic Design
Greek Mythology
Hockey
Musical Theatre
Parade Band
Princess in Training
Science
Sewing
Soccer
Spiritleader
Splashball Water Polo
Strength & Speed
STUNT
Tie Dying
Vocal Music
Volleyball
Wrestling ...and More!
September
November
June
Orange Lutheran’s story is one of faith, excellence, and transformative education. As we celebrate the milestones of our past and look ahead to a bright future, we invite you to play a lasting role in this legacy through membership in the 1973 Society.
e 1973 Society recognizes and celebrates individuals and families who include Orange Lutheran in their estate plans. By making a planned gift—whether through a bequest, trust, charitable annuity, or other estate planning vehicles—members of the 1973 Society leave a lasting impact that aligns with their values and commitment to Lutheran education.
e 1973 Society honors those who support Orange Lutheran’s enduring legacy while looking forward, ensuring that these transformative opportunities continue through planned gifts.
By joining the 1973 Society, you ensure that Orange Lutheran remains a place where faith, knowledge, and service continue to thrive for generations.
We invite you to take this meaningful step today and be part of a legacy that will shape lives for years to come.
The Orange Lutheran Annual Fund has a direct and immediate impact on OLu’s academic programming, athletics, arts, financial aid, professional development, facilities, and campus life. The funds raised are a necessary source of income for our school, as they help us maintain financial stability and bridge the gap between tuition and the full cost of excellence.
The Annual Fund gives Orange Lutheran the ability to o er financial support to deserving families, to provide incredible programs that bring students closer to Christ, and to deliver an unprecedented high school experience. How much to give will be di erent for each family, but gifts of all sizes make an impact. Your support truly makes a di erence in the lives of our students!
Fall Concert
VOCAL MUSIC
Wednesday, October 8 • 7 pm
Catch Me If You Can
FALL MUSICAL
Thursday, October 23 • 7 pm
Friday, October 24 • 7 pm
Saturday, October 25 • 2 pm & 7 pm
Sunday, October 26 • 2 pm
Christmas at the Nechita
INSTRUMENTAL CONCERT
Saturday, December 6 • 4 pm
Christmas at the Nechita
VOCAL & DANCE CONCERT
Saturday, December 13 • 2 pm & 7 pm
Charlotte’s Web STAGE PLAY
Friday, February 6 • 7 pm
Saturday, February 7 • 2 pm
Sunday, February 8 • 2 pm
Honors Recital
INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC
Sunday, February 22 • 4 pm
St. John’s Lutheran Church
Let’s Go to the Movies
VOCAL MUSIC
Thursday, February 26 • 7 pm
Student Showcase
OL u DANCE
Saturday, March 7 • 4 pm
Into The Woods
SPRING MUSICAL
Thursday, April 16 • 7 pm
Friday, April 17 • 7 pm
Saturday, April 18 • 2 pm & 7 pm
Sunday, April 19 • 2 pm
Student Showcase
INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC
Sunday, April 26 • 4 pm
The Best of Broadway
VOCAL MUSIC & DANCE
Saturday, May 9 • 2 pm & 7 pm
Annual Art Show
VISUAL ARTS
Wednesday, May 13 • 5 pm
Night of Worship
CREATIVE WORSHIP
Friday, May 15 • 7 pm