At the end of March, the Gateway theater program debuted its spring musical, Seussical! The entire cast and crew worked tirelessly since January learning their lines, songs, dances, and making the final production the best it could be.
For Will Gentry and Hailey Loughlin, both seniors, this was their final show at Gateway as The Cat in the Hat and The Grinch respectively.
Will was show-stopping yet again with his booming vocals, hilarious dance moves, and excellent facial expressions. Hailey was very convincing as the Grinch with an amazing costume and perfect vocal impersonation.
Regarding her experience in Seussical Hailey shared, “The long rehearsals allowed us all to bond, and we all became really close. No matter what is going on, you always have people you know you can rely on.”
Jojo, The Cat’s right-hand man, was played by Michael Cassagnol, and he was excellent in the portrayal of a little boy with too many “thinks.” Jack Patrick starred as Horton and blew the crowd away with his stunning vocals. He remarked how comfortable his elephant costume was.
Ava Hopkins and Kayla Clancy shined as the birds Mayzie and Gertrude. Ava’s bright pink feather costume was unforgettable, and her sassy singing was just the same.
Kayla was perfect for Gertrude with excellent comedic timing. The Bird Girl posse was equally as fantastic in their well-choreographed dance and song numbers.
Isabella Moline, one of the bird girls, shared, “My favorite thing about Seussical was the amount of creativity shown along with the bright colors. I also loved the inspiring message about embracing your imagination and individual thoughts.”
Mrs. and Mr. Mayor played by Allison Eckstein and LJ Niles were an unmatched dynamic duo. As the leaders of Whoville, they guided characters like The Lorax, The Grinch, and Cindy Lou Who in numerous routines, all of which they impressed with their astounding stage presence and vocals.
You can’t forget the Sour Kangaroo and the Wickershams! Mia Wenglicki, Sour Kangaroo, stupefied the audience yet again with her booming belts and amazing on-stage attitude.
Never more than a few steps behind her, Baby Kangaroo, played by sixth-grader, Lyrah Pettolina, shined on stage with her adorable facial expressions and dance moves. She is only one of the impressive elementary-aged students who played a part in the production.
The Wickershams, a group of daredevil monkeys, barreled onto the stage behind the kangaroo pair and were adored by the audience for their clean choreography and menacing dispositions.
As always, the Gateway Theater department was able to produce yet another show-stopping performance that dazzled audiences. The effort, determination, and creativity shone through in every performance. Way to go performing arts Gators–we can’t wait for the next show this coming fall!
