Musical fans can see a mischievous cat with a hat and an elephant who cares an awful lot this Saturday.
The Lebanon High School Theatre Department performed Seussical the Musical this Friday and will perform it again today (Nov. 8) at the Kenneth E. Cowan Civic Center, a Lebanon R-3 District announcement noted.
“It’s going to be a very fun show, and if you come, you are not going to be disappointed,” said Nathaniel Carey, who plays the Cat in the Hat, during a Wednesday interview.
LHS drama teacher Sabrina Sander explained that this musical was a combination of several Dr. Seuss stories. She explained that the rework of the original musical had become popular in amateur theatre.
The Record watched the first act of the musical during Wednesday’s dress rehearsal. The story follows Horton the Elephant from “Horton Hears a Who” and “Horton Hatches the Egg” and ties other Seuss stories into the narrative.
This production provided a more modern musical and a slightly different kind than the usual fare, Sander said, with less talking between songs and more singing. Sander said she and the students had grown to love the production.
LHS Choir Director Max Jackson, who coordinates the production with Sander, said the audience was in for plenty of fun with the musical. A lot of the students involved, he said, did their homework over the summer.
Having taken a break from the school’s theatrical productions his sophomore year, this is Carey’s first time acting in a high school production. He was excited and nervous to perform in a musical that he described as a refreshing break from the ordinary.
Senior Lucas Soum plays Horton the Elephant and was drawn to the humble and kind nature of the character. Having been involved in previous productions, Soum said this musical was one of his favorites.
Practicing for this musical involved lots of vocal training, Soum said, and he had to be careful not to hurt his voice. He thought people would love the show.
Junior Rowan Brickey is stage manager for the production. This is her first production in the role, though she has worked on LHS Theatre Department productions before. She described her job as essentially ensuring the production becomes a production.
Brickey noted that the colors and Seussian language of the musical make it stand out.
“Countless hours go into this so our town is able to have entertainment,” she said. “We do this as fun for ourselves and also for our community. Because without our community, there’s no point in having a show.”
Today’s (Saturday’s) performances are at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m., the school district’s announcement said. Tickets are $5 for students and staff and $8 for the public. Shirts are also available for $10.
