Final performance for middle school musical in high school gym

Preparation for the upcoming Kasson-Mantorville Middle School musical is in full swing. This musical is particularly special because it marks the last time it will be on the high school gym stage. 
The brand new high school auditorium, which is expected to be completed by the 2016-17 school year, will eliminate one of the musical’s main challenges, scheduling conflicts with other sports and events. 
“It is going to free up a whole bunch of scheduling issues. It is going to provide a comfortable place for the community to enjoy the show and it will be much more artistic and acoustically friendly,” said the musical’s co-director Bernie Buehler. “We will not have to worry about the volleyballs hitting the lights.”
This year the scheduling conflicts are even worse than in previous years, due to the high school’s north gym being closed down for construction. The performance dates are being pushed back until after MEA because there will be fewer sports teams using the gym.
This year’s production “Seussical JR.” is a tale that combines many characters from Dr. Seuss books. The Cat in the Hat, who plays the narrator, tells the story of Horton the elephant who discovers a speck of dust containing tiny people called the Whos. Horton is faced with a challenge, he must not only protect the Whos from a world of naysayers and dangers, but he must also guard an abandoned egg. 
Buehler enjoys working with the middle school kids because of the energy and excitement they bring to rehearsals. “What these students can do is absolutely amazing; they are excited, so enthusiastic,” he said. “We have had some students who have started out as fifth graders and this has just built them up and given them so much purpose and confidence.” 
Besides the scheduling conflicts, this show in particular, is a challenge because of its creative nature and music-packed script. “This show is actually the most challenging for me to do because it is abstract, a lot is left to the imagination,” Buehler said. “It has a ton of music. There are no scenes and acts, it is all one continuous music arrangement.”