Every fall, our school’s theater department puts on a fantastic production, and this year’s production of Seussical Jr. was certainly no exception. With a cast full of talented and ambitious students, paired with an exceptional tech team and amazing directors, our production of Seussical Jr. was an immediate success.
Seussical Jr. is a fun and whimsical retelling of the classic Dr. Seuss book “Horton Hears a Who.” In case you are unfamiliar with the story, it follows Horton the Elephant’s journey trying to save a world of Whos, a tiny group of people who float around on a speck of dust. The musical emphasizes the importance of compassion and respect for life, a theme that is very relevant in our lives.
Horton the Elephant, the protagonist of the musical, was played by junior Aiden Tipton. He is a talented actor with an amazing vocal range. He expressed his gratitude for his role and all the opportunities it brought him. He was cast alongside junior Janna Franks, who played Getrude McFuzz, a bird with an incredible character arc. Other leads include senior Ceci Ward, who delivered an incredible performance as the Sour Kangaroo with her amazing vocals, Hannah Johnston and Levi Wilson, who used their incredible acting skills to portray the role of Mr. and Mrs. Mayor, and Lorelai Canady, who gave us a stunning performance as Mayzie LaBird .
The cast traveled to Calhoun High School for the One Act competition. One Act is a high-stress competition where students perform in front of the cast of other competing plays. It is an incredible experience that instills a much greater appreciation for plays and musicals in students, and it was such an honor for the cast and tech to go. Six other schools from our region traveled to this competition, and our production of Seussical Jr. scored third place overall. The cast of Seussical Jr. did an incredible job acting and connecting with their characters, which led them to their placing in the competition. Ceci Ward and Aiden Tipton were selected to be the top actors/actresses in Seussical. They both did such a spectacular job, and the cast was so proud of them.
Overall, our theater department’s fall production of Seussical was an extraordinary musical that truly showcased the cast’s talents. With this musical being such a success, it is so exciting for us to look forward to how astonishing the spring show will be.
