Director Dish: Seussical

With Artistic Director, Andrea Fouts

This weekend we prepare to cast our 2012 production of Seussical, the Musical!  This will be the second time Yorba Linda Spotlight Theater has produced this show.  The first was in 2008 and is still a highlight in my memory as one of the most amazing shows we have produced.  Overall it’s one of my favorite musicals, hands down!

Why?

It’s very simple.  I love a good story.  I think that is the basis of any good musical, tv show, movie, book, etc.  Without a great story the audience can fall in love with, you’ve got nothing! On top of that, Seussical features an amazing score by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty which is one of the most clever and catchy scores I can remember. 

Why do you think performers should come out to audition?

This is one of those unique shows that features such a wide range of characters.  Some are meant to be older, adult type roles, and some are meant to be kids.  Therefore we have a lot of room to put many performers of many ages.  Not a dancer?  That’s ok.  Seussical isn’t a heavy dance show.  The story is told through song, which means the audience has a lot of focusing to do in order to get the story!  Therefore seussical is meant to feature simplistic dancing for most of the characters.  However, I’m sure our wonderful choreographer, Melissa will throw in a few exciting things for those cast members who are dancers!

What is something unique we can expect from this production?

I always try to bring in elements that are unexpected.  For this production we hope to feature some crazy lighting that will really jazz up the wacky world of seuss.  Also, our set was designed by a famous designer who designs sets for many TV shows.  I’m sure it will be very cool!  And finally, for those who did get a chance to catch Seussical in 2008 you’ll remember we had a special addition to our cast…an adorable baby “elephant bird” who took the stage with our performers at only 11 months of age.  I happen to know a really cute baby boy who I’d love to have the role this coming January…that is if he cooperates!

What will you be looking for this weekend at auditions?

Bold, crazy, wacky and energetic performers!  I think that about sums it up.  This show requires everyone to let loose and have fun…and that’s what I want to see.  I promise you will NEVER have as much fun with a show as you will with Seussical! 

SEE YOU THIS WEEKEND! 

-Andrea Fouts

Spotlight's big summer musical The Wiz to open on August 4th!!!

By Melissa Staab

"The Wiz" Director

I am so exited to share that our latest production, The Wiz, will be opening up in just about two weeks! Very many of us may know the story of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, but in this new musical version it's a fantasy for today - mysterious, magnificent and fanciful. Dorothy's adventures in the Land of Oz are set to music in a dazzling, lively mixture of rock, gospel and soul, conducted by our ever-amazing musical director Sarah Weinzetl. Our production will feature a live band once again, which will really get the audience pumped!

While similar in plot to “The Wizard of Oz”, we’ve transformed the show into a more fun, funky modern version. Dorothy, played by Hannah Matthews and Sarah Klenha, is still blown by a tornado into Munchkinland, but instead of a pretty set piece of bricks, we have a cast of 9 amazing dancers that are live representations of the Yellow Brick Road. Led by choreographer, Mary Honore, the dancers become part of the scenery as they lead Dorothy through her journey to OZ. They magically appear and disappear whenever she is ready to take a step in her next direction. While on her journey to OZ she meets the Scarecrow (Gavin Kane & Tyler Beeuwsaert), the Tinman (Harrison Allegria & Nick Rodrigues) and the Cowardly Lion (Vincent Washicko & Matt Wiencek).

Our cast has done an incredible job of grasping their very dynamic characters. Upon first glance these friends seem like ordinary story-book heroes, but as we’ve been discovery they are anything but that. Instead, these characters are full of depth, dreams, desires, compassion, and heart.

With Dorothy as their fearless captain, the encounter three of the Witches of OZ – Addaperle, the Good Witch of the North (Summer Equitz and Monica Beld), Evillene, the Wicked Witch of the West (Melissa Costa & Missy Klang), and Glinda, the Good Witch of the South (Rachel Mackary). And finally they reach the Wonderful Wizard of Oz. We took a big artistic liberty in this show by casting a female as our Wiz, played by the every-enchanting Natalie Mackary and Ashley Montgomery. My concept for this came behind OZ being more like a circus, with The Wiz as its ringmaster. A powerful, domineering, leader that can command respect and attention while onstage or in the ring, but when the curtain goes down and the show is over, is just any ordinary person; a person with their own insecurities, desires and dreams. However, with a little bit of impromtu magic she is able to grant each of the characters the things they have been searching for, and convince Dorothy that she can do anything she wants if she just believes in herself. And Dorothy in turn, convinces the Wiz that she too can be part of a home and a family.

Technically speaking, this show will be magical! We are renting a beautiful set that is bran-new and has been hand painted by a Disney scenic artist. The sets transport you into this fanciful world with their vibrant colors and expansive lines. Our costumes, coordinated by the amazing Elise Jackson, are colorful, creative, and completely different than anything you have seen before. We will have lots of special effects including fog, strobe lighting, a disco ball, and wizardly projections. Plus, some of the most intricate hair and makeup design Spotlight has seen yet!

This has been one of the fastest and most amazing productions I have worked on! We only started rehearsals on June 14^th, and here we are about to open! I am so grateful to have been able to direct such a wonderful cast of new and returning Spotlight performers. They have been dedicated, focused, innovative, and dreamers alike throughout this whole process. Please come support our wonderful production of The Wiz!!

Tickets are on sale NOW!! The Wiz plays:

Thursday August 4th at 7:30 Silver Cast

Friday August 5th at 7:30 Emerald Cast

Saturday August 6^th at 7:30 Silver Cast

Sunday August 7^th at 2:30 Emerald Cast

All performances take place at the Fullerton College Campus Theater. For more information please check out our website www.YLSpotlight.org.

Spotlight Preps to Take on the Powerhouse Tony Award-Winning Musical "The Wiz"

By: Andrea Fouts

YL Spotlight Executive Director

Once there was a girl named Dorothy who is blown by a tornado into munchkinland. While she is there she meets the Scarecrow, the Tin-man, and the Cowardly Lion. They all go off to see the Wizard of Oz, who turns out to be a phony, but nonetheless she starts to believe that she can make it home.

Sound familiar?

I thought so! But, in the YL Spotlight’s upcoming production of the Wiz, the story above will seem anything but familiar.  The Wiz is based on the novel the Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum but unlike the traditional production of the Wizard of Oz, the Wiz takes some crazy twists and turns.  Along with a brand new score of more contemporary music, there is plenty of room for new interpretations of set, costumes and all other elements of design.  (I must say, we have some very fun, crazy ideas in the works!)

Dawnn Lewis as Addapearle and Ashanti as Dorothy in the 2009 NYC production

As a child I remember watching the 1979 film version of The Wiz with Michael Jackson. And, what I remember the most is that it scared me to death!! The strange re-imagining of Oz featured a grungy, dirty abandoned city where trashcans came to life.  I sat down recently to watch the film again in preparation for our auditions.  I must say- it’s still a strange film! I enjoy the stage adaptation and score much more than I do the film.  The Broadway production came away with 7 Tony’s including best musical. As I mentioned, on stage there’s tons of room for a more modern approach to the craziness of Oz!

Ashanti as Dorothy, Joshua Henry as Tinman, and Christian Dante as Scarecrow protect their eyes from the Green glow of Oz in the 2009 NYC production

Not only that, the Wiz is the perfect summer show for YL Spotlight because it has such a huge cast of characters! We’re not looking at just Dorothy, Tinman, Scarecrow and Lion. Many, many more characters are a huge part of this show!

I love YL Spotlight during the summer season! The cast becomes so close and everyone is just a little more relaxed. Don’t miss out- Auditions Saturday, June 4^th 1-3pm! 

See you there!

-Andrea Fouts

Artistic Director, YL Spotlight Theater 

Tichina Arnold as Evilene in the 2009 NYC production