With only one week until the curtain rises, students from Pine Lake Preparatory are in final rehearsals for the school's first musical performance, Seussical.
As the musical adaptation of 15 works by Dr. Seuss, Seussical is "something we can all relate to," said Tina McGuire, the theatre arts instructor at Pine Lake Prep and director of the play.
"If you're a child, you're reading the books. If you're adult, you've read the books. I wanted to choose something that would appeal to all ages."
With their first performance scheduled for Friday, May 8 at Davidson College's Duke Family Performance Hall – 7:30 p.m. with a pre-show at 7:15 p.m. – the students will reprise their roles on Saturday, May 9 at 7 p.m. with a pre-show at 6:45 p.m. Tickets are $12 for general admission.
It was while casting for the school's fall play "All I Ever Really Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten," that McGuire said she saw potential in her students for a musical in the spring.
"I realized then they had the talent to do it," she said.
Nearly 60 students from grades 6-11 auditioned in early February, with 38 chosen for roles such as Horton the Elephant, the Grinch, Gertrude McFuzz, Cat in the Hat and the Mayor of Whoville.
"These students fit the characters so well," said McGuire, noting that the kids have worked with her, the school's choral instructor and a choreographer to perfect their performances.
"For the most part, we have it down," she mentioned Monday as the students rehearsed various scenes at Fair View United Methodist Church in Mount Mourne.
As a school with a strong focus on the arts, McGuire said all four Fine Arts programs from Pine Lake have been involved in the play's process.
Students at the charter school elect an arts focus – theater, visual, vocal or instrumental – as they enter the Upper School in ninth grade. From there, they spend their high school years working under a specific arts umbrella until graduation.
"That makes us vastly different than many public schools in our nation which tend to cut arts programs or ignore them all together," added McGuire.
Playing the role of Horton the Elephant in Seussical, eleventh grader Micah Clemence said he's "ecstatic" and thoroughly enjoying being part of the cast.
"Rehearsal is the best part of my day," Micah said between rehearsal scenes. Students have been practicing for three days per week since February.
"This is my fourth play. I really enjoy acting and singing. I enjoy the process."
He added that he's also looking forward to the final product on opening night.
"The performance is one of the best parts. The show is super charged by the audience," he said.
McGuire said for most students, it will be performing in front of an audience that will keep them wanting to return to the stage each year.
Noting that she was drawn to Seussical because of the Dr. Seuss philosophy and her passion for both singing and acting, tenth grader Madison Dunaway, who plays the Cat in the Hat, said "performing is going to be the best."
"With most people who act, the real energy comes when you're performing in front of people."
Madison added that her role of the mischievous, narrator cat is a perfect fit.
"He's always trying to stir up things," she said, "but by the end, he wants everything resolved."
For more information, visit www.pinelakeprep.org
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