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Arts & Entertainment

Skyview Students Bring Seuss' Whimsical World to the Stage

Skyview Middle School is staging Seussical Jr. on Friday and Saturday at Tartan High School.

performers are bringing the colorful and cartoonish world of Dr. Seuss to life on the Tartan High School stage Friday and Saturday.

The play, Seussical Jr., was chosen because it has a large cast with “fun, whimsical characters that old and young can enjoy,” music and choreography director Elizabeth Gust said in an e-mail message.

Sixth-graders Xavier Pinex, who plays Yertle the Turtle, and Lexis Bacon, who plays a jungle creature, summed the play up in one word: “creative.”

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The play brings Dr. Seuss characters including the Cat in the Hat, the citizens of Whoville, Horton and Gertrude McFuzz together into one story line. The fish from One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish and The Grinch even make cameo appearances.

“It’s really fun, especially the younger audiences will like it,” said Ariana Campanaro, an eighth-grader who plays Gertrude McFuzz.

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Campanaro said she enjoys the challenge of playing Gertrude—a self-conscious and “dorky” bird who has a crush on the play’s main character, Horton.

“She does grow throughout the play,” Campanaro said, by gaining self-confidence.

Horton actor Keegan Gore, an eighth-grader, said he wanted to play the elephant because he is a hero in the show.

The play’s sets and costumes reflect Dr. Seuss’ vivid imaginary world.

The costumes are, “really crazy and out there,” said seventh-grader Kelsey Schiller, a stage-crew member working with costumes.

Gust said she decided to hold the play at Tartan this year, rather than Skyview, because the Tartan stage has a new floor, “state-of-the-art” sound system and enough room for the play’s large cast.

“It gives the students the wonderful benefit of a semi-professional performance and gives the opportunity for crew members to practice lights, sound and sets in a real theater,” said Gust, the choir and music teacher at Skyview Middle School.

Seussical Jr. will be on stage at Tartan High School at 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 18, and 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 19. Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for students. For more information on Friday’s show go to http://patch.com/E-dyJ8, and Saturday’s show go to http://patch.com/E-dyJK.

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