The scholarship that was created to honor Daisy Johnson and carry on her love for singing and acting, was awarded for the first time to three students after the opening performance of “Into the Woods” on Friday.
Superintendent President Mike Munoz donated $3,000 last year to jumpstart the scholarship, allowing a selected crew, cast and orchestra member to receive $1,000 each.
Actress Phyre Romero, left, gets emotional while winning a $1,000 scholarship alongside production stage manager Jade Abbott, center, who looks at her in admiration and Michael Duncan, right, a percussionist. These winning students were chosen by the directors and faculty part of “Into the Woods.” (Sam Villa)
As opening night for “Into the Woods” approached and the cast awaited their debut, friends of Daisy, reflected on her lasting impact in their lives and in the creation of last year’s musical “In the Heights,” a year after her unexpected death.
During Daisy’s role as Nina she was known for her powerful singing voice where she sang emotional ballads.
David Chhom, a friend of Daisy who was in “In the Heights” with her, and plays cinderella’s prince in “Into the Woods,” described Daisy as being “bubbly, extroverted and outgoing.”
He shared the first impression that he had of Daisy when he first met her at the table reading for “In the Heights.”
“Even from the first time she stood out because she was the first person to sing like fully, like all out like she was on a stage. Whereas the rest of us we were kind of just like shy, nervous… I didn’t really go all out like I wanted to. But she did, right off the bat,” Chhom said.
Daisy Johnson sings as Nina during a dress rehearsal for “In the Heights” on March 4, 2025. (File photo)
When Chhom was asked if he was excited for the upcoming scholarship that would be given to students in “Into the Woods,” he expressed with a laugh that he did not want to win the award because he’s not a singer.
He admired Daisy in the process of explaining who he thinks should win the scholarship.
“Maybe I didn’t work as hard as Daisy. Daisy she was, man, she’s the bar for sure and I strive to reach her, reach her level. But, I’m more of an actor, not really much of a singer and she was a great singer and actor as well. But, I’m only an actor, so,” Chhom said.
Chhom continued, “It should go to somebody that exudes the same energy or close enough energy to Daisy and what she was to “In the Heights” and whoever that is for “Into the Woods,” I hope it goes to them, whoever they are.”
Daisy Johnson, left, acts as Nina during a dress rehearsal for “In the Heights” with actor Christopher Johnson, right, who played Benny, on March 4, 2025. (File photo)
Fast forward to the moment when the recipients were revealed, the announcement caught the winning cast member, Phyre Romero, by surprise as she got emotional on stage and was in shock.
Romero plays the witch in “Into the Woods,” and she shared why she believes she was chosen for the scholarship.
“Honestly, I think it’s cause the directors, you know Andre and Skye, I think that this whole time they’ve seen something in me that I’ve struggled to see in myself. I’ve always struggled with believing in myself and they saw that before I even could. And you know, it was thanks to them that I recognized like ‘wow, I have come a long way from day one’… I’m not a trained singer and so because they believed in me from the start and actually saw my growth, I think that’s where it landed,” Romero said.
Romero’s role as the witch marked the first time she’s had a lead role in a musical. She shared how working with vocal director Skye Angulo during the process of the musical made her a better singer. She learned how to read sheet music for the first time and learned the technical components behind singing.
This experience, she feels is “definitely going to take me to the next level for sure,” Romero said.
The scholarship set aside for a crew member was given to production stage manager Jade Abbott.
“Into the Woods” was also a first for Abbott, as it marked the first time that she stepped into the role of production stage manager, in previous productions at Renaissance High School, she was an assistant stage manager, and in “In the Heights” she was a stagehand.
Abbott reflected on her experience in “Into the Woods” and expressed how it prepared her for her future.
“It’s prepared me more working with other directors, different people and overall this cast has been one of the nicest, most respectful cast I’ve ever worked with, so that’s really nice. They’re a wonderful first musical cast, and I love them so much,” Abbott said.
Romero and Abbott weren’t aware of how much money they had won, right after their winning announcement, but, when they were told by their friends of the $1,000 cash prize they grew excited, and mentioned that they’d use it towards their education.
Abbott is going to use the money towards her tuition at Cal State Fullerton once she transfers and Romero for her current tuition at LBCC.
Daisy’s family was in attendance to watch the opening performance of “Into the Woods” and to witness the winners of the scholarship that is dedicated to Daisy.
When the scholarship for Daisy was just started, her family decided to not be part of the decision process as they felt the directors and faculty knew the students part of “Into the Woods” the best.
Andrew Johnson, Daisy’s father, expressed feeling happy that Romero won the scholarship based on her and her friends’ reaction.
“(Romero’s friends) were thrilled that she got the scholarship. So that, to be honest when I saw her (and) them all get so excited is when it really, you know, kind of sunk in like wow this is really special for the people receiving this,” Andrew said.
In order for the scholarship to continue in the future, it must raise a minimum of $25,000 to support one scholarship in the long run.
The way the scholarship works is that once the endowment is raised it can be put into an account that returns a 4% interest annually. Therefore, 4% of $25,000 equates to the $1,000 return that would be awarded to a student.
Angulo, the main creator of the scholarship, relayed that the scholarship has raised $1,600 so far since it opened for donations this past fall semester. Angulo expressed that it’s “not as much as we had hoped,” however there is no set deadline for when the money needs to be raised.
The hope would be to raise the $25,000 before next year’s musical, so that the department can award a student from the next musical.
“When I first found out about it, I felt like it was a good thing cause in a way she’s leaving behind a legacy and if anything (if) people’s lives get busy and they don’t remember her no more, at least when the scholarship comes up people will be like ‘yeah,’ you know what I’m saying remember her,” said Juztin Shan, a cast member in “In the Heights,” and Rapunzel’s prince in “Into the Woods.”
The scholarship is one avenue in which Daisy’s friends will remember her powerful voice and dedication to helping her castmates in “In the Heights” with learning their music.
Actors surround Daisy Johnson, center, who played Nina in LBCC’s production of “In the Heights” on March 4, 2025. (File photo)
“She was the one who always was keeping us in check for the music…We have to sing the right tone at the right time while dancing, while learning our choreo and all that. But she always knew how, I think she knew how to read music because she plays a lot of instruments. So she was always there…when we needed help (we were) like ‘aye, bruh how do we sing this?’ She’d be like ‘aight this is how you sing it’,” Shan said.
Shan continued, “She was very helpful because she knew what she was doing and then she was like ‘yeah I don’t mind helping everybody else as long as we all shine at the end of the day.
On March 12, the day before the opening night of “Into the Woods,” Chhom shared that he would devote his performance to Daisy.
“I think the first night I’m gonna dedicate my performance to her. I hope I don’t cry on stage, I never know when I’m gonna cry, it just comes. But, I think doing it for Daisy is gonna really bring out something in me that I can’t do by myself. So doing something in memory of someone, I think is powerful,” Chhom said.
Anyone interested in donating to The Daisy Johnson Memorial Scholarship to help it reach it’s $25,000 goal, can do so here.
You must be logged in to post a comment.