Preview Night

Gone is the season of caroling, candy canes, and colossal Christmas trees, and in comes the season of competition in show choirs across Orange County! At the close of Winter Magic, The United Choirs of Brea immediately began working on their competition sets for this season. All of our sets will be revealed at our upcoming show, Preview Night. From Feb. 5 to Feb. 7, this show will be a fun way to showcase the students’ hard work before they take the stage against other choirs.

In a little more detail, “Preview Night is where our choirs premiere the competition sets that they have been working on for the last few months before we start competition season. You’ll get a sneak preview of the sets from all five choirs, so it’ll be a very exciting and dynamic show!” explains Kylie Christensen, the extraordinary choreographer of UCB’s competition sets.

However, Preview Night is much more than just a recital. It is an integral part of the preparation process for competition season. Molly Gooch, the director of the United Choirs of Brea, Kylie Christensen, and Mrs. Turner, the accompanist and band leader for every UCB show, can all agree that Preview Night is a crucial experience for every choir member. “Preview Night is the start of our competition season. It’s the first time students get to perform their sets all the way through for an audience,” states Ms. Gooch. Running each set from start to finish with an audience is vital for the students because this practice will give students an idea of what competing will feel like. “Its the first deadline they have to meet in order to be ready to perform in front of the judges,” says Mrs. Turner. Having a deadline keeps the students on track as they learn the choreography and music for their individual sets. “This show gives us the chance to see what does and doesn’t work, so that we can make improvements before we start competing,” explains Ms. Kylie. Preview Night and the weeks leading up to this show is the time to refine each and every choir’s technique so that they can thrive on stage in front of the judges.

Most important of all, an iconic musical franchise celebrates its impact on the world this year. On January 20, 2026, "High School Musical" celebrated its 20th Anniversary. This classic DCOM gave us the gift of some of the catchiest songs in pop culture, including “The Start of Something New,” “Breaking Free,” and “Getcha Head in the Game.” On Preview Night, Brea decides to celebrate these famous Wildcats by closing the show with “We’re All in this Together,” to pay tribute to the franchise that, according to The Walt Disney Company, “...helped establish Disney’s music-driven model, powering hits such as Descendants, ... in addition to Camp Rock and ZOMBIES.”

However, "High School Musical" is just the beginning of the celebrations. For the first time this school year, UCB will perform in the newly renovated BOHS Performing Arts Center! After months of scheduling conflicts and setbacks, we will be back in our own theatre for Preview Night. The renovation occurred due to outdated lighting and electrical systems. The new LED lighting in the audience and onstage will give audiences an enhanced experience and will help them see the performers with more clarity.

Although we don’t have all the details about what the high school competition sets are about, I was able to get the inside scoop about the junior high’s sets. Show Choir Express’s competition set is, dare I say, totally gnarly, dude! Get your baggies and huarache sandals, because we are headed on summer vacation. (In February?! Yes, yes, we are.) But there’s a little more to it than that.

If there’s anything more iconic than catching a wave in the summer sun, it's finding love ("The Summer I Turned Pretty" fans, I see you!). Show Choir Express’s competition set is a swoony love story. “Our competition set is about somebody you met on vacation. They are so awesome. You kind of hit it off…but then you have to leave,” says Grace Smeby (8). Show Choir Express doesn’t want to give away too much. But, expect to hear some Beach Boys and The Beatles jams as you come along for the ride.

Starlet Express’s set is an empowering story of belonging. Kacen Aguiano (8), a member of Starlet Express, explains, “My competition set, for Starlet Express, is about a clique of three girls, and there’s this girl that’s like, Oh my goodness, I really want to be like them. Then later on this set, she finds out that she doesn’t need to be like them, because she’s already cool herself.” This story of self-acceptance is something that I bet many will connect to.

Stay tuned for more details on the competition season as it happens! Find out details about the places we go, the awards we win, and exclusive interviews, all here on BJHS Bobcat Times!

If you want to support our Bobcats and Wildcats at Preview Night, Click Here!. 

Preview Night will take place at:

Brea Olinda High School Performing Arts Center

789 N. Wildcat Way, Brea, CA 92821

BONUS!!!!

If you could make a competition set based on whatever you wanted (movie/musical/TV show/etc.), what would it be?

Grace Smeby: I would want to make a competition set based on “Me Before You,” the movie, or “My Life with the Walter Boys.”

Giada Callabretta: I would probably make a "Legally Blonde" competition set, or "Hamilton," or something like that.

Evan Yeaton: I would make a competition set mostly based on the film “Hercules.”

Virginia Becerra: Definitely “Titanic”, because I love “Titanic.”

Sopia Ramirez: I would probably say “Wicked.”

Kacen Aguiano: I would make a “Legally Blonde” set.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS

Ms. Gooch: 

The competition sets you compiled for middle school are not particularly based on any pre-existing movies or musicals. Where do you get your ideas for all of the competition sets every year?

It depends. I do a lot of competition sets that are based on movies and TV shows, but those are typically for the high school. For junior high, I start with the music, [then] find some songs I like and see how we can string together a story. But sometimes, I draw inspiration from movies and TV shows and tweak them enough so that they become their original story.

Of all the competitions you’ve attended, which one is your favorite?

I think it's probably the Esperanza competition. We’ve only been attending it the past two or three years. But it’s a great venue, and the El Dorado Performing Arts Center is a brand-new performing arts center. The backstage area is very nice and big to move into, so it makes everything a little smoother.

Do you have a favorite book or movie that you would want to make a competition set for in the future?

I’ve done a lot of my favorites already. One that comes to mind is Narnia. I think that would be really cool as a competition set.

Ms. Kylie:

What would be your dream competition set to choreograph? Have you choreographed it in the past, or is it something you hope to work on in the future?

I’ve been really lucky to have choreographed for so many awesome sets over the years, so it’s hard to choose just one since a lot of them become a “dream set” throughout the comp season. Some of my favorite past Brea sets include “The Giver,” “A League of Their Own,” and “Candyland.” I do have a dream set that I would love to create in the future, but I have to keep that one under wraps for now.

Mrs. Turner:

What’s it like to travel from school to school with the band during competition season? Is it easy or challenging?

It can be challenging, because we have a lot of equipment, props and costumes. That becomes even more challenging when it’s raining. We’re performing in new venues, new dressing rooms, and new stages, so it forces us to adjust.

Written By Rylee Higashi

Edited By Oliver Handoko