Joy Virata - "Welcome once again to REP Children's Theater"
This year we have something really special for children (and their parents and teachers.) Something different and more exciting! It is a story for children written not long, long, ago as in the usual fairy tales, but more recently by a man who wanted children to love books and reading - Dr. Theodor Seuss Geisel or, as he is known in the world over, Dr. Seuss. Dr. Seuss wrote 46 books for children. Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens (Broadway's Once on This Island) have chosen the two most popular books "Horton Hatches the Egg" and "Horton Hears a Who" as well as characters and bits and pieces of other books and turned them into the musical SEUSSICAL. SEUSSICAL, after a couple of years on Broadway, has been performed hundreds of times by both professional companies and amateur groups all over the world.
The "animals" are not costumed as animals because the authors wanted them to appear as "real people at heart, just like us." Each of them has a human persona although their movements suggest the animal they portray. Costume designer Oliver Roxas has put them in imaginative costumes of a nineteenth century circus.
As always, I want children to be exposed to as much of the arts as possible. Oliver was cognizant of this when he used Van Gogh paintings as the peg for his sets. Edna Vida, an exponent of modern dance, has put her expertise into the choreography-"organic" dance she calls it. The music, from the poignant Solla Sollew and Alone in the Universe, to the jazzy Amazing Mayzie, exposes the children to modern music cadence. A lot of people have enjoyed putting their energies, time, and talent into this production. We hope the children will enjoy it and subliminally learn its lessons of friendship, loyalty, love, and concern for all - no matter what one's station in life may be. Always in the interest of children, Joy Virata |
WATCH SEUSSICAL THE MUSICAL
("Oh, The Thinks You can Think!") The story begins as a little kid (Jojo) discovers a strange hat which has been left on the empty stage. He wonders about the hat, picks it up, and up pops a "hat wearing cat" (the Cat) who convinces him that it is wonderful to think. The two of them proceed to think up characters to create a story. The characters and the story come alive onstage.
Meet Horton the Elephant who is an outcast. The Mayor who just doesn't know how a child's imagination soars. Gertrude who loves Horton and the only one who believes in him. The vain birds Mayzie and Gertrude, some mischievous monkeys who make life hard for Horton, the depressed Mayzie la Bird and the sour Kangaroo.... all these colorful animals in a child's imagination...imagine!
Creative Team:
BABY BARREDO (Rep Artistic Director)
JOY VIRATA (Artistic Director - Rep Children's Theater)
MENCHU LAUCHENGCO YULO (Associate Artistic Director)
JOHN BATALLA (Lighting Designer)
OLIVER ROXAS (Set and Costume Designer)
RAVEN ONG (Costume Supervisor)
Production Staff:
GIDGET TOLENTINO (Production Manager)
AYAM BARREDO (Company Manager)
JOJO AMBOY (Stage Manager)
POL ROXAS (Sound Technician)
PABLITO SALVADOR (Lighting Technician)
ADUL LASIN (Set Execution and Scenic Artist)
BABY BARREDO (Rep Artistic Director)
JOY VIRATA (Artistic Director - Rep Children's Theater)
MENCHU LAUCHENGCO YULO (Associate Artistic Director)
JOHN BATALLA (Lighting Designer)
OLIVER ROXAS (Set and Costume Designer)
RAVEN ONG (Costume Supervisor)
Production Staff:
GIDGET TOLENTINO (Production Manager)
AYAM BARREDO (Company Manager)
JOJO AMBOY (Stage Manager)
POL ROXAS (Sound Technician)
PABLITO SALVADOR (Lighting Technician)
ADUL LASIN (Set Execution and Scenic Artist)