Dear parents, carers, grandparents and friends,

What an incredible way to finish last term! After months of rehearsals, singing, dancing, costumes, props and preparation, our talented Woodend Primary School students took to the stage for four wonderful community performances of the musical Seussical Jr.

From the Jungle of Nool to the tiny world of Whoville, our students brought the colourful and imaginative world of Dr Seuss to life. The performances were filled with energy, humour, music and heart, and we could not be prouder of everything our students achieved.

First and foremost, a huge congratulations and thank you must go to our amazing student cast. Being part of a school musical requires much more than learning lines, songs and choreography. It takes courage, commitment, teamwork, resilience and a willingness to keep improving. Our performers supported one another, tackled challenges and grew enormously throughout the rehearsal process. Watching their confidence develop from those first rehearsals through to their final performance was something very special.

Of course, a production of this size could never happen without the extraordinary team of people working both on stage and behind the scenes.

A very special thank you to our three Directors, Che Jaffer, Regi Crook and Kelly Packer, whose creativity, dedication and countless hours of work helped turn Seussical Jr. from an idea into the spectacular production our audiences enjoyed. From rehearsals and choreography to music, costumes, organisation and all the little details that happen behind the scenes, their commitment to giving our students such a memorable experience was invaluable.

A massive thank you also to Lauren Fuller, our Staff Crew member, for her wonderful support throughout the production, and to Paige Wellstead, our Props Master, for helping create the colourful and imaginative world our performers inhabited on stage.

Our thanks also go to our fantastic crew members Taylor Dempsey, Harry Crook and Judah Wellstead. Their willingness to jump in, solve problems and keep things moving behind the scenes helped ensure our performances ran smoothly.

A huge thank you once again to Dave Aparicio for his expertise with lighting and sound. The technical elements of a musical make an enormous difference, and Dave’s knowledge, attention to detail and calm presence helped transform our stage and allowed our performers to truly shine.

We are also incredibly grateful to the many parents, carers, staff members and volunteers who helped throughout the journey. Whether you assisted with makeup, supervision, props, front of house, transporting children, practising lines at home or one of the countless other jobs involved in putting on a musical – thank you. Productions like this really do take a village!

We would also like to acknowledge our generous community supporters:

• Fassina Somerton Park
• Lonsdale Hotel
• Dan Murphy’s Noarlunga
• Morphett Vale RSL

Your generosity and support of our school musical helped us provide this wonderful opportunity for our students, and we sincerely appreciate your contribution.

Finally, thank you to everyone who came along to one of our four community performances. Performing to an enthusiastic audience is what brings a musical to life. Every laugh, cheer and round of applause gave our students another reason to stand a little taller and feel proud of what they had accomplished.

School musicals provide our students with experiences that reach far beyond the stage. They build confidence, creativity, responsibility, friendships and resilience. They teach students how important every member of a team can be and give them memories that we hope will stay with them for many years to come.

As Horton reminds us, “A person’s a person, no matter how small.” This production showed us just how much can be achieved when every person – performers, crew, staff, families, volunteers and supporters – plays their part.

Thank you to everyone who helped make Seussical Jr. such a memorable part of our school year.

Oh, the thinks you can think when you think about Seuss!

With heartfelt thanks,

The Musical Team