THREE Tumut girls have landed starring roles in the latest Canberra Girls Grammar School musical production, Seussical The Musical.
Marianna and Tallara Smith and Maggie Roache, students at the school and all from Tumut, took to the stage last night (Thursday May 1) for the opening night of the production, which is based on stories by children’s author Dr Seuss.
The girls have been rehearsing since the start of November. Marianna plays Gertrude McFuzz, a bird with a one feather tail who is in love with Horton the Elephant, and Tallara and Maggie are the trouble making Wickersham Brothers.
The girls were chosen after an audition process, which took place over a few weeks.
“I recieved an offer for Gertrude McFuzz, and accepted the role, excited to be a part of the production,” Marianna said.
“Maggie went through the same process, landing the role of a Wickersham Brother.
“My sister, Tallara, joined the cast at a later date. She received a pre-recorded clip which she was allowed to practise with and watch during her audition. She was asked to prepare one song, which the casting team didn’t ask to hear, and she didn’t have to prepare a monologue. In terms of auditions, quick and easy; she joined the cast as a Wickersham Brother that afternoon.
“Both Tallara and Maggie were cast as understudies later in the rehearsal period. Tallara is my understudy, so she knows all of my Gertrude parts, and Maggie is the understudy for Mr Mayor, who lives on the tiny planet of Who. “
Marianna ‘s not quite the main performer in the show, but she’s right up there – the rest of the leading roles are male.
“Gertrude is an ingenue, just like Ariel (Marianna’s role in CGGS’s previous production The Little Mermaid), so sometimes it feels like I’m playing the same character,” she said.
“My challenge has been trying to find a way to make Gertrude feel like a new character, and I think I’ve gotten there. I’m also the Dance Captain of the show, which means I’m in charge of making sure that each cast member knows all of the dances in the show.”
Marianna will sing a number of songs and Maggie and Tallara will appear in ensemble songs but also sing Monkey Around in a trio.
The production will run for four shows, with performances on Thursday and Friday nights, a matinee on Saturday and closing night on Saturday.
“Playing a male character isn’t too tricky – we just use deeper voices and more confident movements to show their personalities,” Tallara said.
“We keep a playful side, which makes it easier to stay in character and have fun with it. Our director suggested that to make the characters a bit more unique, we should be a bit like a boy band, so we use movements and tricks that feel animalistic but a bit like a pop group. This really keeps the energy flowing between the three Wickersham Brothers. “
Marianna admits she has has found it difficult with an increased workload being in Year 12 and having a lead role in the production.
“I definitely think that all my extra time on the show is worth it; I absolutely love performing and wouldn’t pick my academics over it any day, however tiring it can be,” she said.
Marianna does the ACT equivalent of the HSC, BSSS, while Tallara and Maggie are both in Year 10.
The girls do their best to get back to Tumut when they can.
“We do our best; sometimes rehearsals can interfere with this, so I haven’t been home much over the last term,” Marianna said.
“I love getting to come home to Tumut though and try to get involved whenever I can. I get to play with the Tumut Town Band sometimes and got to march with them for ANZAC Day over the holidays.”
