Article by Noah King
Fredericksburg, Virginia--In STEPVA’s new musical, “Seussical Jr.,” the cast is going to need a lot to make the show a success. From cueing cast members in the greenroom to the stage, to helping with sound and lights, the tech crew can do it all! Jax Lunsford and Joel are working the backstage technology for “Seussical,” a show being performed by STEPVA, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization whose goal is to “empower people with disabilities and their families through creative expression and sensory exploration,” and they seem to be up to par on what is expected of them. They are the two crew members with the most experience, both having worked on the tech crew for STEPVA’s previous licensed musical, “You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown!”
Jax Lunsford is quite familiar with the world he is helping create.
“My favorite [Dr. Seuss book] is ‘The Cat in the Hat’,” Lunsford said. “I kind of like the Lorax because the movie was really good.”
He also acknowledges the fact that a lot of people will know the show right off the bat.
“I like the fact that it’s a well-known show,” Lunsford said. “That makes it a lot easier.”
Lunsford last assisted the tech crew on their performance of “You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown!”, where he says he learned lots of cues for when to utilize different effects. “[I hope the audience learns] that this cast is very, very talented,” Lunsford said.
Joel, who worked with Lunsford on the set of “Charlie Brown,” has another take on Dr. Seuss’s world.
“[My favorite Dr. Seuss book is] ‘The Grinch’,” he said. The Grinch also happens to be his favorite character, though the cast of Seussical is more than just The Grinch and the Who's. “I really like working with them,” he said, referring to the endless plethora of characters featured in the show.
Last time, Joel helped move the curtains during the show, something he says he really enjoyed doing, even if he is unsure of whether or not he wants to do that again for “Seussical.”
Over the past few weeks, Joel has put his talent of “making scenery” to good use in the Advanced Tech class, where he spent the last two weeks making sets for the upcoming show.
“I hope [the audience] like[s] [this show],” he said.
“Seussical Jr.” will be performed from April 13-14 at Courtland High School. For more information or to buy tickets, available soon, please go to www.stepva.org.
***STEPVA is a 501c3 nonprofit organization whose goal is to “...empower people with disabilities and their families through creative expression and sensory exploration”***