Spring Musical Enchants Audiences of All Ages

Canterbury School Theater’s spring musical, Seussical, emphasized positive themes such as friendship, loyalty, and love—and throughout its two-night run last weekend, our Saints were feeling the love from an enthusiastic audience. 

Seussical’s inspiring message left a lasting impact on its cast and crew. “The show has taught me to embrace my uniqueness, think the unimaginable, and go beyond my limits,” said Stage Manager Laurie Etienne ’24. “It was meaningful to me not only because it was my last show at Canterbury but for the memories I have made in the theater community here. I will miss singing and dancing to the songs in the booth as well as the amazing people I connected with.” 

From the talented performers and vibrantly colored stage to the upbeat songs and enchanting story, Seussical had everyone feeling joyful and energized, leaving a sea of smiles throughout Maguire Auditorium. 

Language Department Chair and Co-Director of Theater Keiko Mathewson summed up the musical perfectly in her Director’s Notes. “Seussical is a celebration of difference. Each character, whether big or small, loud or quiet, is unique and valuable in their own way. This resonates deeply in our world today, reminding us of the importance of embracing diversity and honoring the richness it brings to our lives,” she wrote. “As we brought this whimsical world to life onstage, I encouraged the cast to embrace the spirit of the story—to be bold, imaginative, and unapologetically themselves. May we inspire our audiences to believe in the power of kindness, imagination, and the wonderful possibilities that lie beyond the realm of the ordinary.” 

Seussical was originally written by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, a renowned creative team that has received some of theater, film, and music’s highest honors. Kudos to our theater faculty and students who put their own fabulous stamp on this timeless classic: 

Director & Choreographer: Keiko Mathewson
Musical Director: Christopher Rich
Stage Manager: Laurie Etienne ’24
Assistant Stage Manager: Alicia Agredano ’26 

THE CREW:
Set Construction and Scenic Painting: Canterbury School Technical Theater Class
Light Board Operator: Emerson Lilly ’25
Deck Electricians: Ella de Marval ’25, Raven Reaves ’26
Spot Operator: Geoffrey Moran ’24
Sound Board Operators: Madison Lang ’24, Maeve Prendergast ’27
Props Manager: Minhyo “Katie” Tae ’27
Hair and Makeup: Hayden Famigletti ’25, Abigail Wiese ’25
Deck Crew: Julian Bonasera ’26, Yuxuan “Bob” Chen ’27, Lochlan Finnegan ’26, Hanna Gleason ’25, Stephen Hraska ’25

THE CAST (in order of appearance):
JoJo: Sylvia Pinheiro ’24
Cat in the Hat: Ruari Bamrick ’24
Horton: Zachary Mwanza ’27
Gertrude McFuzz: Amelia Welsh ’26
Mr. Mayor: Irene Chen ’24
Mrs. Mayor: Cora Brennan ’24
Mayzie LaBird: Ava Faruol ’24
Sour Kangaroo: Eliza Agredano ’24
Young Kangaroo: Hannah Soifersmith ’27
General Genghis Kahn Schmitz: Elena Davenport ’25
Bird Girls & Whos: Yuge “Ingrid” Fu ’26, Marygrace Hussey ’27, Victoria Ostrowski ’26
Wickershams: Serena Bacetti ’26, Emily Lang ’24, Jing “Kitty” Miao ’25
Yertle the Turtle & Others: Clare Kelly ’25
Vlad Vladikoff & Others: Madeline Lavertue ’27
Grinch & Others: Yichen “Justin” Bai ’27

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