The Future of Theater

The Future of Theater Subhead CES 5th Grade wows with Seussical Musical production News Staff Wed, 02/28/2024 - 05:48 Image

• Horton the Elephant interacted with The Wickersham Brothers during the Clifton Elementary School 5th Grade Class’s production of Seussical: The Musical at the PAC on Saturday, February 24. Nathan Diebenow | The Clifton Record
• The Future of Theater
• The Future of Theater
• The CES 5th Grade Class performed “Seussical The Musical” to big crowds over three nights, February 22-24, in the CISD Performing Arts Center. Nathan Diebenow | The Clifton Record

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Watch out, Broadway! Prepare for the future talent coming from Central Texas.

The Clifton Elementary School presented “Seussical: The Musical, Jr.” at the CISD’s Performing Arts Center in Clifton over three amazing nights last weekend.

Based on the children’s books by the late Dr. Seuss, the production displayed the singing, dancing, and acting talents of the 5th grade class members from February 22-24.

The cast included Olivia Bekken and Reete Bennette as JoJo; Katherine Cessor-Culver, Everett Western, Emma Stenmark, Maddox Davidson, Khiry Bible, and James Lancaster as The Cat In The Hat; Karyn Isbell and Carley Chambliss as Horton the Elephant; Cruz Santillan and Canton Davis as Mr. Mayor; Aisling Cardona and Hayley Sowder as Mrs. Mayor; Nora Knight and Avery Nop as Gertrude McFuzz; and Aubree Harmon and Reese Argo as Mayzie La Bird.

The cast members also included MacKenzi Tebo and Jordyn Nickel as the Sour Kangaroo; Gavin Spigener and Remington Abbott as the Young Kangaroo; David Navarro and RJ Banik as Yertle the Turtle; Leo Mendoza as Vlad Vladikoff; Beau Wallace and Hayden Holden as The Grinch; Olivia Kerby as Thing 1; Mikhael House as Thing 2; Emma Squyres as Thing 3; and Layla Aguilar-Gonzalez as Thing 4.

The Bird Girls were played by Paisley Austin, Estrella Deluna, Victoria Ornelas, Rylie Atchison, Tannia Montes, Desirae Elmore, Diana Thiele, Aislynn Bonner, Jaelyn Resendiz, Shealee VerHow, Aylin Ramirez, Caylee Canapi, Itzel Gonzalez, Nevaeh Rivas, Miley Roberts, Dream Watley, and Athamariz Pina.

The Whos were played by Paisley Rose, Jeddie Hunter, Airiana Willis, Brayden Hampton, Lukas Hinote, Mercy Haight, Lilia De La Hoya, Gordon Lawrence, Brock Evans, Brooklyn Woolsey, Kaitlyn Porter, Ryder Chegwidden, Jed Hewlett, Paxton Henderson, and Dakota Kubiak.

The Wickersham brothers were performed by Ethan Smith, Alex Garcia, Dean Porter, Landen Clark, Luis Rivera, Lane Harper, Edgar Andrade-Dominguez, Declan Ward, Samuel Smith, Bentley White, Jorge Alvarado, Michael Crosby, Max Willmann, Russell Reeves, and Josiah Davis.

Beth Fry directed and Sally Bekken codirected the stellar production with the assistance of the production team at Clifton ISD.

Fry and Belinda Honea served as the musical directors; Cassie Martinez, choreographer; Bekken, set designer; Jo Poole and Mimi Clemens, costume designers; Teresa Butler and Barbi Ernst, lighting designers; Sheila Musselman, spotlight operator; Kassidy Cardona, Jan Slade, Cody Isaacs, Monty Eakin, and Kara Ripley, stage managers; Butler, Ernst, Steve James, Musselman, and Mario Villalpando, sound designers and technicians; and Ernst, videographer.

The Clifton Elementary School produced the musical.

“We wish to thank the following people for their support and encouragement: Clifton ISD Board, Supt. Andy Ball, Dr. Brown, Mrs. Burns, Fifth Grade Teachers, and CISD Maintenance Crew,” the program flyer for the musical said. “Finally, a giant thanks to parents and staff of CES who gave of their time, donated props, and shared their talents to help create magic of theater for our children.”