HARRISBURG -- Southeastern Illinois College Jr. Falcon Productions presents "Seussical the Musical" July 14-16 in the George T. Dennis Visual & Performing Arts Center Theatre.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the SIC theater and the summer theater productions, and in celebration, Director/Producer Hannah Drake has added a second weekend to the show for a special alumni cast performance.
"The alumni show includes adults who participated in the first summer show up through recent productions, giving audiences a chance to see some of their favorite actors from previous years," said Drake. "'Seussical' is a fun show ... a fast-paced show full of bright colors, music and dancing."
A pasta fundraiser buffet dinner will be held 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. on July 23, prior to the alumni show, with pasta, red and white sauce, salad, bread, drinks and dessert. Carryout dinners will be available. Tickets are $12 and money will go toward instrument upkeep and repairs that are desperately needed by the SIC music and theater departments.
Melody Ossi of Harrisburg, an alumni, will play the Mayor of Whoville's wife.
"I've been working with my talented students behind the scenes since I returned to Harrisburg a few years ago," said Ossi. "I'm thrilled to have this exciting opportunity to be onstage and perform with them."
Ossie, a retired singer, performed with opera companies in St. Louis, Boston and Tampa among others. She returned to southern Illinois to teach young people, and has been instrumental to a number of local productions, including the Jr. Falcons shows.
The very first summer show in the new SIC theater in 1997 was called the Summer Showcase, featuring a montage of favorite scenes from "Jesus Christ Superstar," "South Pacific" and "Phantom of the Opera."
Later, the Summer Showcase became a venue for local children and the name changed to Jr. Falcon Productions. The shows now include more than 100 children from kindergarten to 12th grade.
Jack Gulley, a Harrisburg High School junior, is a veteran. He will play Horton in one of the two children's show lead casts.
"I think audiences will enjoy seeing characters they loved when they were small come to life, as well as the cool set," Gulley said.
Assistant Director is Jayden Roper of Harrisburg; Assistant Music Director is Zach Mitchell of Harrisburg; the choreographer is Gabriella Tison of Harrisburg. Janet Hart of Harrisburg, with the help of Gareth York of Equality and cast parents, is designing the more than 100 costumes and John Hart of Hart's Music in Harrisburg will run the sound.
If you go
Jr. Falcons cast: 7 p.m. July 14 & 15; 2 p.m. July 15 & 16.
Alumni cast: 7 p.m. July 21; 2 p.m. July 23.
Tickets: $8-$10. Buy from cast members or Kellye Whitler, (618) 252-5400 ext. 2486 or 2487; (618) 841-4649 or boxoffice@sic.edu.
Pasta dinner tickets: $12 beginning July 10. Buy from alumni cast members, at the E Building at SIC or at the Wells Fargo office, 37 S. Main St., Harrisburg. Walk-ins accepted as long as pasta holds out.
