By: Kylie Coffin, Co Editor-in-Chief
Posted November 4th, 2015
As October comes to a close, Slinger High School’s musical production is quickly approaching. The cast is currently wrapping up their final preparations for performing “Seussical, The Musical” for the community on November 13, 14, and 15.
This fall’s musical experienced a major change in leadership as three new individuals stepped into the roles of directors. Emily Lofy, Heidi Lofy, and Joann Husslein were the individuals who took on the heavy but rewarding responsibility of bringing Dr. Seuss’ well-know characters to life. Mrs. Peters, Slinger High School’s choral director, has also put many hours into rehearsing music with the cast. One link to the three-part directing staff this year, Ms. Emily Lofy, is a Slinger High School alumnus and a current American Studies I and World Studies teacher at Slinger. Mrs. Heidi Lofy and Mrs. Husslein are founding members of the Hartford Players, and Ms. Lofy got her start in performing at age 8 by spending every summer in that theater. She also performed in three Slinger High School productions as a student from 2004 to 2008. Overall, she knows a thing or two about the dynamic and expectations of Slinger’s theater program.
Adults, however, are not the only ones running the show in this musical. There are four student leaders whose past experience on the set and behind the scenes of Slinger productions has allowed them to make valuable contributions to this show as well. Becca Rodenkirch and Granite Goeller are the student directors and Renee Wagner and Kali Hottenroth share the title of stage manager.
The “Seussical The Musical” cast spends roughly 15 hours a week practicing. From Monday to Wednesday they are at rehearsal from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm and on Thursdays they rehearse from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm. On the weekends, cast members devote time to building the set for the show, and soon they will begin holding Sunday practices as well. While dedicating so much of their after school time to making “Seussical” performance-ready, many of these student actors are balancing these duties with the responsibilities of being honor roll students. Ultimately, the passion the cast and crew have for the performance is incredibly real.
Although they spend hours of time on perfecting the show, this group has had an abundance of fun while memorizing lyrics, running lines, practicing dance steps, and learning notes. How could one not have fun while dealing with the storylines of Dr. Seuss? When asked what her favorite memories from this fall were, Ms. Lofy responded, “This cast is a treasure trove of talent and seeing them really get into character has been wonderful. I would also say that chasing the parade float (which went so fast!) was rather exciting.” It is highly likely that this fun-loving spirit and talent will shine through on performance dates as well.
Because so many people are so familiar with the works of Dr. Seuss, this performance will have a relatable feeling of familiarity that might send you back in time to when you sat reading his books with your family. This musical touches on the deeper meaning behind Seuss’ plots and characters to make the simple, well-known stories something with more emotional weight. According to Ms. Lofy, “Seussical touches upon such universal ideals that whether you are 5, 15, or 50, you will identify with something in this show.” This show would be regretful to miss, so call your family and friends and take them to Slinger’s rendition of “Seussical the Musical.” Performances are at 7:00 pm in the Slinger High School Auditorium on November 13 and 14 and the matinee performance is at 2:00 pm on Sunday, November 15. Tickets are available for purchase at the Slinger High School office.
