Stages around Iowa have been lit up with brightly-colored lights bouncing off of bright sequin dresses by City High’s show choirs, but this year, 4th Avenue Jazz Company is doing something different. In past years, their performances have been upbeat dances with a set of popular songs to create high-intensity shows. This year, new choir director Tyler Hagy decided that they are going to tell a story.

“Themes have become more evident in the show choir community,” Hagy said. “We are focusing on this technical storytelling aspect of the show.”

The focus of the show will be based around sicknesses and family, referencing the famous Wave as the main focus to pay tribute to these sad events. While it doesn’t hold a happy theme, the show is supposed to recognize the hardships families go through every day, while sending audience members off with positive messages.

“It’s not going to be so much popular song[s],” Marisa Rude ‘19 said. “It’s going to be telling a story on the stage, instead of just a series of dance moves.”

The setlist for 4th Ave will include songs “Opening Up” from the musical “Waitress,” “Clap Your Hands” by Leo Soul, “The Cure” by Lady Gaga, “Tears of an Angel” by RyanDan, “Warriors” by The Strike, and “Make a Wave” by Demi Lovato and Joe Jonas.

Both the director and the students are striving to tell the story in the most truthful way they can. Hagy said their goal is to get the message across and to tell the story together.

“We get on stage every time to tell a story, that[‘s] our job,” Hagy said. “The people walk away and understand our story, they see the people.”