STEP VA Cast Spotlight: Jacey Hurst, Emily Rousseau & Alexander Siegling
- Apr 12
- 2 min read
by Brigid O'Leary
FREDERICKSBURG, VIRGINIA—Good things come in threes and that means STEP VA's Spring Musical Experience is doubly lucky, having not one but two trios in the cast of “Shrek the Musical JR,” on stage soon. In addition to the knights, played by Cooper Hulvey, Christian Merrill, and Leo Scrivani, the Three Little Pigs are also slated for some frolicking fun on stage.
Jacey Hurst, Emily Rousseau and Alexander Siegling are ready to steal the scenes.
Hurst is returning for her second STEP VA Spring Musical Experience, though she's not new to STEP VA. She got her feet wet in summer camp sessions and last year was part of the Sea Turtle Flotilla when the organization staged Disney/Pixar's “Finding Nemo, Jr.”
“I love to sing and dance and being in musicals,” she said when asked what brought her back this year. “I love being with my friends for the musical.”
At the onset of rehearsals, Hurst set herself the goal to “try new things and do hard things,” but as with many of the cast, she entered the season looking forward to having fun with friends—and singing. Her favorite song to belt out with her friends is “Freak Flag.”
One of those friends belting out songs with her is Rousseau, who was part of the Girl Birds flock in “Seussical Jr.”
She came back this year because she's a fan of Princess Fiona and she's been looking forward to dancing all season. In fact, her family reports that Rousseau “ practices all the dances at home every day,” and so far, she hasn't found anything particularly challenging.
She's making the most of this “Big, Bright, Beautiful World,” – her favorite song in the show—and “loves” going to rehearsal.
“She really is enjoying being a part of the cast,” her mom said.
Also enjoying being part of the cast is Siegling, who, upon donning the pink ears will be adding his fourth Spring Musical Experience to his resume. He has returned, year after year, “because I really want to act, sing, and dance.”
And his trajectory has shown that to be the case. He got his start in STEP VA's version of Disney's “The Lion King, Kids!” as the dancing baby rhino, and shook a tail feather as Mini-Woodstock in “You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown.” He took a break for a year but came back stronger for Disney/Pixar's “Finding Nemo, Jr.,” in the role of Tad, the Butterfly Fish.
Earlier in the season, Siegling wasn't sure what he was most looking forward to, but he was excited to start rehearsals—to act, sing, and dance—and, like many other cast members, for the opportunity to “hang out with my BFFF.”
“'I’m a Believer’ is my favorite song," Siegling says, adding that “saying all the parts” have been challenging this year. Luckily, he has Hurst and Rousseau to share in the Three Little Pigs' banter throughout the show.
Come laugh along with the porcine trio in STEP VA's version of “Shrek the Musical JR”at Courtland High School on April 18 (6 p.m.) and April 19 (3 p.m.).
Tickets on sale at stepva.org
