by Noah King
Fredericksburg, Virginia--Gavin Marchand and Reeve Watson corner fellow star Noah Finch (“Horton the Elephant”) onstage. Dressed flamboyantly as monkeys, they begin to rap an evil warning to the pachyderm on which the fate of the Who’s rest.
“Better look out, better look out, Horton,” they say. “Or someone’s gonna get your clover.”
Marchand and Watson will be playing two of the five “Wickersham Brothers,” a group of villains who serve a pivotal role in “Seussical Jr.,” as the monkeys who try to steal Horton’s clover from him for their own personal gain.
“Seussical Jr.” is Marchand’s first show with STEP VA Inc., a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to “...empower(ing) individuals with disabilities and their families through creative expression and sensory exploration…” Luckily, he is very familiar with the story of which he has become a part.
“I’d say the best [Dr. Seuss character] is Mr. Grinch,” Marchand said. “I watched [the film adaptation] when I was five years old.”
Marchand also is especially excited about the costumes for the show, some of which were planned out by cast members in STEP VA’s “Behind the Scenes” tech classes.
“[I like that] we dress up…like ‘Monkey Bros.’,” Marchand said.
“Seussical Jr.” is Watson’s third spring musical with STEP VA. Last year, he played a “‘Charlie Brown’ Narrator” in “You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown!,” STEP VA’s first show to be performed at Courtland High School, the venue where “Seussical Jr.” will be performed in April. This was preceded by an equally important role as “Young Simba” in “Disney’s ‘The Lion King,’ KIDS.”
Watson's role as a Wickersham brother brings with it his favorite part of being in the musicals: dancing! If he has to pick a favorite song in the show, “Oh the Thinks You Can Think” is his favorite number, but “I enjoy them all,” he admits.
STEP VA’s production of “Seussical Jr.” will be performed at Courtland High School from April 13th through 14th. To find out more and/or register for tickets, please visit www.stepva.org
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STEP VA, Inc. is a 501c3 non-profit organization that provides sensory-based theater and arts programs for individuals with disabilities. Its vision is to transform the world by offering each individual the opportunity to flourish in the community.