Fredericksburg, Virginia – The stage-turned-ocean will be full, when STEP VA Inc., the local 501(c)3 nonprofit that “empowers people with disabilities and their families through creative expression and sensory exploration” stages Disney's “Finding Nemo, Jr.” in April. Between the tech crew and the performing cast, there are 52 individuals involved in the play, each with at least one disability. You've met the crew; now it's time to meet the cast.
Noah Gentry is moving up to the big stage this year. He got his start with STEP VA as part of the Dr. Seuss class last year, a sort of training program for younger participants designed to help them get ready for public performances without the demands of a full rehearsal schedule. Gentry, whose older siblings helped imbue him with a love for musical theater, is ready to for the big stage where he'll be one of the fish friends.
“Singing in a whole crowd,” is the big difference from last year to this year, he said of the experiences, though it's also his favorite part of rehearsals. His favorite song from the show, naturally, is “Big, Blue World.”
That doesn't mean rehearsals are always easy. For Gentry, being around when the character of Bruce is the focus of a scene is the most challenging aspect of rehearsal, because “sharks are scary.”
For newcomer Drake Woodcock, who will also take to the stage as a fish friend, it's not the sharks that make rehearsals challenging, it's the choreography, especially “learning and memorizing the moves.” A common refrain among the cast, even adapted choreography can be difficult to master, but that doesn't prevent the cast from enjoying rehearsals or the experience as a whole. He's enjoying the experience, especially the music.
“I like the songs because [they're] a bop,” he said. His favorite song is “Go with the Flow.”
For his first foray with a STEP VA spring musical, Woodcock is ready to put himself out there a bit, but not without hesitancy. He hopes the audience will be able to see the effort he's putting into his part.
“I'm the odd one out, most of the time, and I'm trying to be better,” he said when asked what he wanted the audience to know.
Come see Gentry and Woodcock take the world by sea storm at STEP VA's version of Disney's “Finding Nemo, Jr.” at Courtland High School, April 12 & 13, 2025. Tickets go on sale March 1.
For more information or to donate to STEP VA, 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.