Music has always been my way of expressing feelings. It's how I let out what I'm going through, because, well, I'm a pretty emotional person most of the time. I'll admit, even at my high school graduation, I popped in earplugs to stop myself from crying when my friends sang For Good from Wicked. Music is just how I talk about what's on my mind and in my heart—it's been with me forever.
When you become an adult, nobody really tells you what life's going to be like. You're just thrown into this crazy world, hoping to figure things out on your own. In the last five years, I've faced heartbreak, gone through tough times, and found out how much we as humans go through on a daily basis. And then there's theater. It completely changed my life. It introduced me to a whole new world where, even if it's just for a moment, I can be someone else, feel their emotions, and step out of my own shoes. It showed me that I wasn't living my life to the fullest and shifted the direction of my future and who I wanted to be. For a lot of people, theater is like an escape from reality. It's a place where you feel like you belong and where friendships are made. It's done wonders for so many people, including me.
Back in 2020, our world came to a halt, and so did the middle school production of Seussical Jr. that our students had been working so hard on. To this day, you can still hear how disappointed the students were about not being able to perform. When I got the chance to direct, I knew what I had to do—to give them and our community another chance to see this show. Some of the students from Seussical Jr. are now up on stage, living through the moment they missed out on. I hope it brings them a sense of pride, joy, and a love for theater, not just for them, but for everyone in our community.
Directing this show has been the most rewarding thing I've ever done. I feel incredibly lucky to have such an amazing theater family. I love each and every one of you, and you know who you are. I want to give a special shoutout to Caitlin Webster, one of my closest friends, for being my rock and supporting me through every step of this journey. And to Rachel Harvey, thank you for everything—I couldn't have done this without you. I also want to thank the cast, crew, costume team, and everyone else who helped make this show happen. I'm so grateful, and I couldn't have done it without you all.
Lastly, I want to thank my support system. To my family, thank you for being there for me through everything, from taking me to dance classes to encouraging me to pursue my passion for theater. And to my partner Joshua, thank you for your endless love, patience, and support. I don't know how I got so lucky to have you in my life, but I'm grateful every day. I love you both, along with our cat Spookie Boo, more than anything. Thanks for everything you do. With that being said, I hope you all enjoy Seussical as much as I do. Dare to “dream in bright colors”, “have thinks” and above all else, I hope it sparks your imagination and takes you to a magical world where "anything is possible!"
Amanda Beil
Director
