Marymount of Santa Barbara will present its Middle School musical Seussical Jr. at 12:30 and 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 14, and Thursday, Nov. 15, at The New Vic Theater, 33 W. Victoria St.
In an effort to accommodate the standing room only audience in Battistone Hall on campus, drama director Miriam Dance was able to secure the downtown location.
Students, such as Catherine, a seventh-grader, were excited when Marymount announced the show would be performed at The New Vic.
“This play is going to be in a major theater and my past experience has been in smaller theaters,” she said. “I am excited that a bigger audience will be able to see our amazing play.”
In directing the show, Dance is joined by Tyler Koontz, movement and sound director; Dauri Kennedy, music director; Terrell Sledge, assistant drama director; and Sian Harden, stage manager.
Some 50 students in grades six through eight, chose to be in the musical over other elective choices such as as flight science, surfing and service brigade.
Asked why she wanted participate in the musical, Carly, an eighth-grader, said, “I love acting so that I can express myself. I don’t feel judged when I play a character. It’s just fun.”
As part of an integrated project in science and math, students were challenged to design lighting cues for a scene.
The small group project included interviewing student actors about the mood of the scene, building scale models of the theater, studying the property of light and filming what the actual scene will look like on their models using flashlights and models made to proportion.
The Cat in the Hat tells the story of Horton, an elephant who discovers a speck of dust that contains the Whos, including Jojo, a Who child sent off to military school for thinking too many “thinks.”
Horton faces a double challenge: not only must he protect the Whos from a world of naysayers and dangers, but he must guard an abandoned egg, left in his care by the irresponsible Mayzie La Bird.
Although Horton faces ridicule, danger, kidnapping and a trial, the intrepid Gertrude McFuzz never loses faith in him.
Ultimately, the powers of friendship, loyalty, family and community are challenged and emerge triumphant. Seussical is fun for the whole family! Performers of all ages will be excited to portray the characters from the familiar Dr. Seuss fables.
Daytime ticket prices are: $10 for adults, $7 for seniors and free for students; evening performance tickets are $10 for general admission. Tickets will be sold at the door.
For more information about Marymount, visit info@marymountsb.org or call 805-569-1811 ext. 131.
— Molly Seguel for Marymount of Santa Barbara.