ORCHARD PARK STUDENTS…

ALL THINKERS OF STRANGE AND WONDERFUL THINKS

TO BRING DR. SEUSS’ CAT IN THE HAT AND OTHERS FROM THE PAGE TO THE STAGE

WITH THEIR PRODUCTION OF SEUSSICAL JUNIOR

After our successful whole school concerts, ‘A Night On Broadway At Orchard Park’ in 2023, and ‘We Belong’ in 2024, Mrs Banfield & Mrs Downie are incredibly excited to announce that on Friday the 27th of June, all Orchard Park students from Prep to Year Six will be performing in Seussical JR at the Tony Sheumack Centre for Performing Arts, Beaconhills College- Berwick campus. We couldn’t be more excited for the opportunity for our students to take their performance skills to the next level in our first ever whole school musical!

During weekly Performing Arts specialist lessons, all OPPS students will enhance upon their existing skills and knowledge in Music, Drama & Dance. Each class will feature as different characters within the story, developing their acting and dramatic skills, explore different musical elements such as rhythm, beat, pitch, harmony, dynamics, tempo & form when learning to sing songs, will continue to develop their techniques in Dance, learning given choreography and will also be shown performance techniques to engage their audience.

What Is Seussical JR About?

Seussical JR. begins with a young boy named JoJo who conjures up the Cat in the Hat with his powerful imagination and is whisked to the Jungle of Nool for a fantastical adventure. There JoJo learns of the plight of the tiny citizens of Whoville, who live on a planet the size of a speck of dust. Their sole protector is Horton the Elephant, who is the only one with large and sensitive enough ears to hear them bipping and beeping and playing their oompahs. The small world is threatened by Sour Kangaroo and the Wickersham Brothers, who in disbelief that a world could be so small, try to steal the dust-speck so they can cast it into a vat of Beezle-Nut oil. During all of this drama, Horton has not noticed that he has an admirer, Gertrude McFuzz. She blames his indifference on her one-feather short tail and endeavors to find a way to change her looks. Meanwhile, Horton’s friend, Mayzie La Bird, is bored of perching on her nest, and convinces the watchful elephant to sit on her egg so she can take a vacation. The Cat follows all of these storylines and finally casts the boy into his own as the irresponsible son of Mr. and Mrs. Mayor of Whoville, JoJo, who ultimately saves his whole tiny world with one big, imaginative “think.”

Rehearsals

Rehearsals are already in full swing with all classes from Prep to Year Six having already learnt to sing the first song in the show called ‘Oh The Thinks You Can Think’. Now that we have learnt the music and to sing the song, our next focus is to learn choreography! Our principal and supporting lead role students have also started learning their individual parts during recess club time with Mrs Banfield & Mrs Downie. We have taken a few snaps from our rehearsals to share with you all below.

Backstage Crew

In addition to further developing the skills and knowledge of all students performing on stage, we will also be selecting students from our Year Five/Six cohort to be a part of the OPPS Backstage Crew team. Instead of performing on stage during the performance, backstage crew students will be supporting and learning from the stage manager, lighting & sound technician. Backstage crew students will also take part in weekly class rehearsals during their Performing Arts specialist time in which they will learn the same content as their peers.

How Can We Support At Home?

Mrs Banfield & Mrs Downie are already receiving emails and questions about how to support children at home and where to find the music in the show. If you would like to listen to and practice the songs home or in the car, please follow this Spotify link We would like to reassure you that this is not compulsory but there for families who would like to explore this at home 😊

Further Details About The Show

Further information about the performance such as ticket sales and prices, programs, arrangements for dropping off & picking up students will be communicated soon. If you have any questions at all, please do not hesitate to contact Mrs Banfield or Mrs Downie.

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