‘Seussical Jr’ Comes to Life at Aquinas College

“Imagine a sky, imagine bright blue. It’s the Jungle of Nool near the river Walloo. Now imagine an Elephant lumbering through. It’s Horton, yes Horton, and Horton hears a Who.” These were the words of the Cat in the Hat that brought audiences into the quirky and colourful world of Dr Seuss for the 2023 Junior School Production of ‘Seussical Jr’. Over four days in Term 2, over 50 boys from Year 3-6 acted, danced and sung their way through the bright and fun musical which combined many of the beloved stories and characters of Dr Seuss into a truly memorable musical experience.

The process of bringing ‘Seussical Jr’ to the stage began in the first weeks of Term 1. After the return of the Junior School Production in 2021 and the huge success of ‘The Lion King’ (2021) and Shrek (2022), a large number of boys enrolled to participate in the production this year. After auditions took place in Week 1, the process of blocking scenes, learning songs and mapping out choreography begun. The music itself was a great challenge for the boys with plenty of wordy lyrics, tricky rhythms and syncopation. However, the boys rose to the challenge and by mid-term, the characters and songs were starting to come to life.

The support of the Aquinas College staff and parent community was absolutely outstanding. Throughout Term 1, a small army of parent helpers gave up their evenings and weekends to paint, sew and glue, creating a dazzling array of Seussian style costumes and props for the show. Special thanks go to costume and prop coordinators Laura Alvin and Polly Chan who were instrumental in leading the parent team and creating some truly special aspects of the production.

The Aquinas Arts Staff team were truly a force to be reckoned as always. Musical Director Chris McMillan lead the way, dedicating an incredible amount of time to work with the boys on perfecting the songs as well as directing the talented band which included piano tutor Cate Carboon and percussion tutor Dan Harrison.

Assistant Director Emma Leopardi proved instrumental throughout the rehearsal and performance process with her artistic eye and rapport with the boys shining through.

Choreographers Chanel Turner, Travis Leggett and Hannah Sibbald brought the moves, working in Dance Club and Production rehearsals to teach the boys about safe dance practice and bringing the show to life with some highly creative movement.

Mark McAndrew worked tirelessly to ensure this ‘sung through’ show sounded impeccable, working with Year 9 student Harrison Agnihotri to balance not only the band but multiple headset microphones and teaching the boys about microphone technique.

Lachlan Bowyer, with the assistance of Year 12 student Dillon Thiel ensured the show looked incredible with a dazzling Seussian set design, with the talents and support of Lucy Hughes, Bina Butcher and John Van Dyk, as well as a vibrant lighting design.

The promotion of the show was integral to the full houses. Thanks to Sheree Kendall for her creative photography and design work, as well as Year 12 Media Captain David Scott for his behind the scenes photography.

Finally, the show could not have happened without the support and efforts of Isa Main in ticketing, programs and administration, and Rebecca Watson, working tirelessly on Front of House for each show.

Just as important as the action onstage was the amazing efforts backstage. Led by Nicole Monzu and Arts and Culture Captain Rory Watson, an incredible team of Middle and Senior Students and Staff were a well-oiled machine, keeping things running smoothly behind the scenes.

Production week was an absolute treat, with a buzz in the air, Seussical posters lining the balconies and a sold out season ahead. The boys were well rehearsed and excited to bring the words of Seuss from the page to the stage. From Whos to Jungle Citizens, Fish to Circus Animals, all these zany characters were on display to delight audiences. The story followed Horton the Elephant, who, after discovering the tiny world of Whoville inside a speck of dust, is ridiculed by the inhabitants of the Jungle and put on trial for insanity. The moral of the story was beautiful, with always standing up for your beliefs the key message and Horton’ mantra “a person’s a person, no matter how small” proving inspirational.

This year, with Aquinas College joining the Independent Theatre Association, we had the opportunity to have the show adjudicated. The production was described as “a welcome oasis from the stresses of the world”, “a feast for the eyes” and a “memorable experience” by adjudicators.

A big congratulations and thank you to all the students, staff, parents and community members that made ‘Seussical Jr’ possible. We can’t wait to see what 2024 brings for the Junior School Production.

Until then, just remember to cherish “the thinks you can think when you think about Seuss!”

Chris McRae
Production Director and Junior School Music Coordinator