Reflecting on Seussical

As auditions are closing for the next production, I'm remembering a night when things really started to gel for Seussical…..

At a rehearsal for the lead characters of Seussical the Musical, my eyes were really opened more to the heart of our new theatre company here in Selma. Each part of the team had a specific task for the evening and all came together and worked collectively to have a productive rehearsal. We had the choreographer working with the Wickersham brothers, the monkeys. The assistant director was working with the bird girls and herself, Mayzie, on their vocals and dance. The two leads were working on their solos with the director. And one of the production team was off to the side talking with one of the parents.

I was watching the Wickershams practice, on a very tiny stage, starting and stopping the CD player while they learned their dance. It started with the choreographer showing two of the cast members, the monkeys, some of the ideas she had for their solo dance piece. It’s the part of the play where the monkeys are making fun of Horton, the elephant. It was incredible to see the two boys take the choreographers ideas and embrace them and make them their own. Part of what I love about Random Acts of Theatre Company is the freedom that it gives everyone involved to be themselves. In this case, what could have easily become a competition between the two boys, actually gave them an outlet to work together and make the dance their own, together. With some guidance and direction from the choreographer, they combined their talents and created a gift to share with the community and the other cast members.
What really touched me last night was the end of the rehearsal. It was time to wrap up and “close up shop,” but the kids really were excited to show each other what they had worked on and didn’t want to leave. So, the director asked each group to take the stage for a little show and tell. First up were the Wickershams showing off their solo dance with everyone else cheering them on, laughing and clapping, some rolling on the floor. And Horton, the elephant, saying, “Oh, those monkeys are mean, why can’t they just be nice? I haven’t done anything to them!”

Then Mayzie and the bird girls took the stage and did a little Latin groove number, teasing and trying to persuade Gertrude, kind of an awkward bird, to conform to the world so Horton will notice her. It was really fun to start to see the characters taking shape with these five girls. After the first two groups, everyone was laughing and having fun, really enjoying things coming together after only a few rehearsals.

Next, Horton and Gertrude took the stage. They shared a song where Gertrude is trying to be noticed by Horton and Horton is occupied by trying to find his clover. There is nothing more beautiful than people, sharing their voices and their hearts for their causes in such a vulnerable way, up on stage. It was really sweet and all of us in the audience were in tears by the time they were done performing. Still no one wanted to leave; it was such a special night.

I was able to look back at the first production, Footloose, and see how much each of the production team has grown and is able to play their part, whether it’s as an actor, director, or choreographer, or someone taking time to listen to a parent's heart for their child. What I was able to see was how each piece is so vital to a complete and successful show.

I was able to see an actor, being a part of the cast; they can be an example, by being on time, knowing their lines and blocking, so that they can concentrate on encouraging their other cast members. As a director one can teach and hold up a standard that most of the cast has not seen before. As a friend one can listen to the cast and parents, we can understand them and love them. It is so much bigger than a show. We are here to demonstrate the Lord's love, to show this city that they are special and not forgotten about. I can see how powerful the message will be because of each person's testimony; it connects them into their character and will allow the viewers to really be a part of their heart, if only for one night, it will be something that they will always remember.

Random Acts of Theatre

RATco recently held auditions for its fourth production (Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat) and it got me thinking about the theatre company I've had the pleasure of working with in Selma.

In a town as divided as Selma, it's so encouraging to see kids and grown-ups of all different ages and backgrounds come together to do something bigger than themselves. Disregarding the cultural and traditional barriers between them, I have seen people reach out and work together to create something beautiful, coming to rehearsal after rehearsal, working their hearts out to make it a good show. Although all ages participate (from a 5-year old all the way up to a 65-year old) there are a large number of young teenagers in the cast, many of them repeat performers from several very different schools. Kids from the exclusive private school sing and dance right alongside kids from some of the poorest areas of town, and bond with each other through their hard work towards a common purpose.

In our very first musical (Footloose), very few of the kids had ever even been on a stage before, let alone been a part of a production that size. None of us really knew what the response would be in the community, but we were hopeful and excited. The final night of dress rehearsal, most of the actors forgot their lines, the lights wouldn't work right, and parts of the set actually toppled over--it couldn't have gone worse! But the next night, opening night, the atmosphere was electric--every seat in the theatre was filled, black and white sitting together, everyone eating popcorn and having a good time. And we put on an incredible show (nothing like the dress rehearsal). We sold out every performance of Footloose in the local downtown performing arts center, and signed up a lot of people who wanted to audition for the next production.

The summer show was an easier show to put on, with less rehearsal time and only one performance. But on the one-night-only of our performance, our director (who was also the entire band) got very sick, and couldn't even get out of bed! But the cast, crew, and production team came together and put on the show anyway, proving that it was about the team, not just the person in charge. It turned out even better than we had hoped for, and stirred up so much interest in the community that 85 people came out to audition for the next production including Selma's chief of police and his entire family.

We had decided to do a Dr. Seuss musical for the fall 2008 show, which has several parts for small children in it--so I invited some children I know to come try out for it, including the autistic little boy I do therapy with. He did an amazing job singing his little song for auditions, and has been a great (and truly precious) addition to the cast. Although working him into the cast has not come without its challenges! Every rehearsal, I worked with him on-on-one (in the middle of the group) to teach him the choreography, the words to the songs, where to go when, etc.--not to mention standing still, paying attention, and staying in the game. It was hard for him, but so good for him! He played a Who child from Who-ville and learned all of the dance moves, including swimming like a fish. Best of all, he learned to connect with the other cast members--young and old. This from a kid who couldn't even speak when spoken to less than a year ago. He's come a long way, and having the chance to be a part Seussical is better than anything he's getting at school, according to his mother. He came to rehearsal with a big smile on his face, and ran over to wherever I was. It taught me soo much about how to reach him
and teach him the things he needs to know.

My experiences with him have also inspired me to go back to school and pursue a career in special education (autism, specifically). My little friend made leaps and bounds and joined the rest of the cast on stage for opening night. I think everybody wants to find some kind of work that is worth doing, that makes a difference --and I have found mine.