Breaking the Hold

Accolades:

MAPA Champions 2025

Show Synopsis

Success can be a double-edged sword. Breaking the Hold explores the struggle of rising above when those around you try to pull you back down. The production begins with Prisoner by Miley Cyrus and Dua Lipa, musically capturing the suffocating tension of being trapped by others’ expectations and resentment. The performers embody the tug-of-war between ambition and resistance, each step forward met with the weight of those unwilling to let go. Through dynamic staging and emotional intensity, the audience is drawn into the frustration and conflict of trying to break free.

The tension then shifts into original music by John Max McFarland, opening with a haunting piano/synth solo that grows measure by measure, slowly tightening the energy in the room. As the ensemble joins in, the soundscape builds with intensity, representing the mounting pressure and the desperate push against those trying to hold you back. Finally, the struggle erupts into Sia’s empowering anthem Unstoppable, a triumphant statement of perseverance and independence. In this finale, the performers shatter the chains of doubt and jealousy, transforming the struggle into freedom and strength. Breaking the Hold is a powerful reminder that success is not defined by those who try to keep you down, but by the courage it takes to rise above.

Tempos Range:  120 - 200

Instrumentation

• Snares
• Tenors (6)
• Basses (5)
• Cymbals
• Glockenspiel/Xylophone
• Vibraphone 1
• Vibraphone 2
• Vibraphone 3
• Vibraphone 4
• Marimba 1
• Marimba 2
• Marimba 3
• Marimba 4/5
• Synthesizer 1
• Synthesizer 2
• Drumset
• Aux Perc 1/Mallet Station
• Aux Perc 2