Members of Union High School’s production of “Seussical The Musical” by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens (based on the works of the children’s author Dr. Seuss) pictured on stage at Matt Auditorium in La Porte City on Saturday, March 9. Those pictured include leads Austin Martin as The Cat in the Hat (center, striped hat) and Lauren Youngblut as Jojo (standing, front center). PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER AND SOREN M. PETERSON

Last week two stellar high school music productions took to area stages including North Tama’s annual Swing Show – ‘Nothin But A Good Time!’ – which played Thursday and Friday evenings in Traer, and Union’s spring production – “Seussical The Musical” – which played to a packed house at Matt Auditorium in La Porte City both Friday and Saturday nights.

Nothin’ But A Good Time

The stage in the Redhawks Nest was lit up with the familiar ‘NT Swing Show’ lights last week Thursday and Friday but without its familiar master of ceremonies behind the piano — the late Terry Shay who led North Tama’s vocal music department for more than three decades before retiring last May mere months in advance of his untimely passing in September.

This year’s production was skillfully spearheaded by the district’s band instructor Channing Halstead with assistance from Laura Ridout who was hired in January to replace Mr. Shay.

Members of North Tama’s Concert Band dominated all aspects of the production – performing as members of the band but also as part of both the solo and ensemble skits.

North Tama High School’s percussion group performs “Beat Builders” during last Friday’s Swing Show 2024 in Traer which was billed as ‘Nothin’ But A Good Time.’ The two-night production was directed by band instructor Channing Halstead and vocal music teacher Laura Ridout. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER AND SOREN M. PETERSON

The evening began with a rousing ‘Eighties Flashback’ performance by the full band in the darkened gym. Samplings included Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time,” Bon Jovi’s “You Give Love a Bad Name,” Survivor’s “Eye of the Tiger,” and more.

Audience favorites throughout the night included two separate call-and-response numbers – “Escape (The Pina Colada Song)” performed by Ty Guthrie and Case Monat with the latter heckling the former from the pit area, and “Don’t Stop Believin'” which reversed the two performers’ roles. Just one example of the humor built into the performances included Guthrie singing the verse “If you like makin’ love at midnight,” to which Monat called out from the darkness, “Ew, gross.”

Several solo performances were also particularly memorable including Johnathan Cochran’s piano solo “Cavatina” by Stanley Myers, Joshua Lasley’s vocal and guitar solo “Mess is Mine” by Vance Joy, and Liam Stoakes’ piano solo “He’s a Pirate.”

Cochran’s melodic solo in particular brought to mind the late Mr. Shay’s piano accompaniment – a fitting tribute to the man who helmed North Tama’s swing shows for so many years.

Just before the intermission, the short film “Landon” by All-State Speech recipients Alex Meggers, Jonathan Cochran, and Landon Kucera was screened for the audience.

Dancers Ava Monat, left, and Faith Dvorak perform the dance duet “Grow a Pear” on stage in the Redhawks Nest last Friday evening in Traer as part of Swing Show 2024. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER AND SOREN M. PETERSON

Following the intermission, several more ensemble skits/groups, solos, and Concert Band pieces were performed.

The evening concluded with the band’s performance of John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads.”

For additional Swing Show 2024 photos, click here.

Seussical The Musical

Despite being labeled a ‘bomb’ by critics back in 2000 when it premiered on Broadway, “Seussical The Musical” has enjoyed an immensely successful afterlife in the years since as a high school/regional theater production, delighting audiences young and old across the country. Union High School’s performance of Seussical – directed by Korina Carlson and Casey Tecklenburg – last Friday and Saturday night was no exception.

“Seussical the Musical” leads Lauren Younglbut as Boy/Jojo, left, and Austin Martin as The Cat in the Hat pictured last Saturday evening on stage in Matt Auditorium in La Porte City. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER AND SOREN M. PETERSON

Led by the phenomenal Austin Martin in the title role of The Cat in the Hat, Union’s production was another knock-out performance to add to the district’s spring musical history books.

The musical comedy roughly follows Dr. Seuss’s (Theodor Seuss Geisel) children’s books “Horton Hatches the Egg” and “Horton Hears a Who!” with the Dr. Seuss character The Cat in the Hat acting as both “host and emcee” as he pops up in various places throughout the production. Many of Seuss’s other characters make appearances as well including The Lorax and even The Grinch.

Lauren Youngblut and Hayden Spore skillfully helped Martin lead the production in the roles of Boy/Jojo and Horton the Elephant, respectively.

Thanks to strong performances by the three leads, the production boasted a robust appeal across the age spectrum.

The 40-some-member cast also included Erica Hoppe as Mayzie LaBird, Matthew Medina as Mr. Mayor, and Brigitte Rohrer as Mrs. Mayor.

“A person’s a person, no matter how small.” Lead Hayden Spore performs as Horton the Elephant last Saturday on the Matt Auditorium stage in La Porte City as part of Union High School’s spring production of “Seussical The Musical.” PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER AND SOREN M. PETERSON

As part of the production’s playbill, the cast, crew, and directors thanked (among many others) their parents and families, writing: “Thank you for providing meals, transportation, costumes, props, and a million other things that keep the students involved and thriving in academics and activities at Union High School.”

“It takes a village to raise any child, and we couldn’t ask for a better village for our students in the cast and crew.”

For additional “Seussical The Musical” photos, click here.

Members of Union High School’s production of “Seussical The Musical” including Clara Carlson, left, as Gertrude McFuzz, and Hayden Spore, second from left, in the lead role of Horton the Elephant perform together on stage at Matt Auditorium in La Porte City last Saturday evening. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER AND SOREN M. PETERSON