Seussical the rock/pop musical opens THIS Saturday and Sunday @Spotlites, Chatham!
‘A person’s a person no matter’… sings the cast of Seussical the rock/pop musical
This weekend Spotlites Youth Theatre has the pleasure of bringing you the exciting, thought provoking and feisty musical Seussical originating from the much loved stories by Dr Seuss! Seussical follows the story of Horton, an elephant with a kind, eager and caring view on a tiny world that he discovers upon a dust speck on top of a clover and the struggles he faces when other jungle dwellers do not see or appreciate the world as he does. The meaningful story touches on themes very relevant to everyday life including, prejudice, being punished for being different, the consequences of artificial beauty and being at peace with who you are no matter what pressures or envy may surround you.
Extract Youtube video of one of the songs
The themes portrayed in Seussical reflect how troubled and judgemental our society is today and also links to current political affairs. The production will aim to open up people’s eyes on how equality is not always present, how mental health issues are affecting many young people and the sometimes spiteful nature of society doesn’t allow them to always receive help from other peers and why we should accept people for who they are. All these issues are experienced by at least one of the characters in the show and are directly linked to the unsettled nature of our current world that seems uncertain for the future. Another issue that is addressed is artificial beauty which is now very popular especially amongst young girls in our society as they believe they have to look or be a certain way and some go to dangerous lengths to make themselves look how others would want, when they do not need to and may find that that one special person much prefers them for who they truly are. This is an important aspect of the show to share with young people and audience members as it will give them the space for thought on accepting who they are and not allowing other judgemental individuals to tell them otherwise.
The production is also extremely political and touches on many of the unnerving things that are happening that are beyond our control, which will open audience members eyes and get them to realise the reality of how the world could shape out in the next few years, depending on the decisions of powerful individuals, which will be fully reflected within various storylines in the production Spotlites Youth Theatre is going to showcase. These issues are one of the driving factors behind the Youth Theatre performing the musical and bringing them to the attention of audience members to fight for equality and awareness of mental health.
Spotlites Youth Theatre is beyond exhilarated to have the opportunity to present this gripping show and have enjoyed going to town on the development of the characters, costumes and set and with the company’s previous stunning performances and dazzling reputation audience members of any ages should look forward to the production.
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With a range of electrifying, inspiring, passionate songs and musical numbers Seussical is going to be an action packed, fast paced and fun filled musical triggering a lot of contrasting thoughts and emotions for any audience member and leaving them contemplating the underlying themes presented in this insightful show, that has something for everyone!
Some of the cast members have shared their thoughts on why they are looking forward to being in the production and what they think audiences members will appreciate about the show.
“One of the biggest things that excites me about being in a musical – especially in a rock musical- is the amount of energy required for all the dances in the show. Seussical is going to have some really awesome dance numbers that I can’t wait to get to grips with!”
– Bart (Cat in the Hat)
“I absolutely love working with the Seussical cast and am glad to have the opportunity to work with everyone on such a great production! I can’t wait until the performances; from the energetic choreography to heartfelt songs and themes of betrayal, love and fiery attitudes this show has something for everyone!!”
– Elysia (Gertrude McFuzz)
“I am absolutely honoured to be working with the cast of Seussical and am looking forward to being part of the amazing family that Spotlites creates for us all. Not only am I excited to be working with such an amazing group of people but also cannot wait for the feisty, fast paced nature of the show, which will open up the opportunity for me to learn endless new techniques. Seussical is such an in depth show and inhabits a range of interesting themes including vanity, distrust, the struggles of being heard in a prejudice society and love, so has something for every audience member to consider and enjoy!”
– Rachael (Bird Girl)
“Seussical is probably one of my favourite shows I have done at Spotlites – the high energy songs and dances combined with meaningful story lines, masked by the theme of animals in the jungle make the whole musical so fun to be in and watch!… Seussical is so special to be in because we have a small cast, which many of us have never experienced before – we are able to work together to be a strong and energetic group to show off this fantastic musical and bring well known Dr Seuss characters from the books to life! ”
– Lauryn (Mayzie La Bird)
“I am really excited to be in Seussical and cannot wait to work with all my friends and learn new skills to add to my performance. It is a really cool show and the songs and dances require lots of energy!”
– Hannah (Bird Girl)
“Being in a Spotlites musical is a great experience, it helps you grow in confidence and get new skills that you didn’t have before. Seussical is such a special show to be in because there are no other shows like it. It is a great experience for audiences to come and see because it is such a fun show”
– Gavin (Jojo)
“I value being in Seussical as it gives me a chance to test myself and improve in singing, acting and dancing. I feel great pride in the part i have been given and feel a real connection with the character. Seussical is such a great musical as it has so many layers and messages about society, which I think the audience will realise as Seussical is not well known. Being able to perform this show in front of an audience is a great privilege for me and I really look forward to it”
– Ben (Horton the Elephant)
“I am enjoying being in Seussical, it’s a great musical that is deep and meaningful with characters that everyone can relate to. Being in a Spotlites show is great fun and after every show you feel like you all have progressed and learnt new skills as a team. Spotlites always put on amazingly professional shows that stick with you after you’ve seen them or been a part of one”
– Sophia (Mayoress of Whoville)
“The thing I value the most about being in a Spotlites musical is coming together as a community to produce an appreciative performance with a moral that supports people through their lives and ours. Seussical is a special show to be part of as it explores a number of different personalities played by different characters, and how they participate in a situation of surrealness. This is a great show for an audience to experience as it explores a number of three different important aspects that makes a musical, a musical. Acting, singing and dancing. With these three in one show, there is something special to witness”
– Kieran (Wickersham Brother)
“Its great fun to communicate with other people and you get to learn new things when doing a musical, I really enjoy working with such a great team. Being in Seussical is a very energetic and shows what life today is like (if you think about it) The audience will get to see the amazing personalities of all these fun and amazing characters come to life. Being part of this team is amazing and just gives you a little break from reality”
– Lexie (Vlad Vladikoff)
In summary …
Seussical is a sassy, captivating and energetic rock musical displaying what happens when someone makes the decision to do something that others may not agree with and the thoughts and emotions that they go through when challenged by differing circumstances and opinionated individuals. Addressing many different issues we deal with in society today including parental difficulties, giving into the pressure of artificial beauty and the abuse that can be throw at individuals for being different. This show provides fun and thought for all! Plus the music is just AWESOME! You will leave singing the tunes!
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