News

Flucos Make a Seussical

Joanna Sapp, FCHS Journalist|March 10, 2015

Drama students have been warming up their vocal cords for months. Seussical the Musical is the play that Fluvanna County High School drama department is performing this spring. It brings together several of Dr. Seuss’s most famous stories, but mainly centers around the adventures of Horton from Horton Hears a Who. The play includes many stories from various Dr. Seuss books like Yertle the Turtle, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and The Cat and the Hat.

Students involved in the production have been working hard to memorize their lines for April 17 and 18 when the curtain breaks and everyone takes the stage. Auditions were in early December, and the casting list was put up Dec. 12. Since then, the cast has been working hard to get things done for show time.

In previous years, the theater department has put on productions such as Charlie Brown, Little Shop of Horrors, and Peter Pan. FCHS art teacher Michelle Coleman makes most of the costumes for the plays, including using paper mache to make Horton’s head for Seussical. She has the students bring in old clothes from thrift stores and then alters them to fit their characters. “The hardest part about making the costumes is doing the fittings and making sure they all look different. I often need to use the actor to double check my measurements and have them try it on,” Coleman said.

“Sometimes I don’t have access to that student at the time I am working on it, and may have to put it aside until they are available. I also have to make sure that each character looks different. So I might start with the same basic dress but I have to alter and vary the silhouette, or embellish it with different elements–all with very little budget,” Coleman said. She has taught herself over the years how to sew, so she is able to make all the costumes they need in the time that they need it. Some students have learned how to sew from parents and grandparents and are able to help Coleman with some of the costumes.

While some students thrive being on stage under the lights, others prefer the behind-the-scenes work on the sets. Others, like junior Kira Rosemann, enjoy both acting and working on the set. Last year, she helped paint the set pieces for Romeo and Juliet, but is returning to the stage. “I realized I missed acting with my friends and went back to it this year,” said Rosemann. She is playing one of Seussical’s Wickershams– three mischievous monkey brothers who steal from Horton.

Another one of the students in Seussical is junior Dominique Smith, who said she knew immediately that acting was her calling. Smith plays a Who in Seussical this year, but has been acting since she was a freshman at FCHS. “My favorite part about acting is finding little pieces of yourself in different characters and telling a story,” said Smith.

Characters

Cat in the Hat … Zach Dobrin

Horton … Blake Karaca

Gertrude … Savannah Forren

Mayzie … Mary Milton

Bird … Julieanne Bryant

Bird … Autumn Hellms

Bird … Caitlin Taylor

Mr. Mayor … Joe Johnson

Mrs. Mayor … Kara Kline

Jojo … Erin Edgerton

Sour Kangaroo … Morgan Van Ornum