Arts & Entertainment

Keith Valley to Stage Dr. Seuss Classic

Keith Valley Middle School will perform 'Horton Hears a Who' beginning on Thursday.

As Dr. Seuss famously wrote, "A person's a person, no matter how small."

Beginning Thursday, Keith Valley Middle School's student actors will prove that as they bring the popular book, "Horton Hears a Who" to life on stage. 

The school's annual fall musical will feature the story of Horton, a lovable elephant (played by Casey Lynch), and how his life begins to run amok when he tries to protect sub-microscopic people who live on a speck of dust. Horton tries to convince his friends and fellow jungle inhabitants that the speck is actually a planet.

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Keith Valley Musical Theater’s productions have been a school staple since 2000, incorporating the support of many different directors and school staff throughout its time. According to Mindy Rubinlicht, the program has benefitted Keith Valley students by celebrating a diverse array of musicals, and engaging, inspiring, and challenging students as they entertain audiences.

“Students share their unique and individual traits while forging friendships, establishing self-discipline, building new skills, and learning about the craft of musical theater,” Rubinlicht said in a press release. “From auditions to opening night, the students and staff aim to grow together in cooperation, teamwork, flexibility, and social responsibility.”

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This will be Rubinlicht’s eighth production at Keith Valley, and in between performances, she keeps busy with teaching general music and seventh- and eighth-grade chorus at Keith Valley. With 65 students involved in the show’s cast and crew, the production is felt throughout the school and beyond.

“We build self-confidence, team work, professionalism and develop theatrical skills," Rubinlicht said. "Often times we have students who are shy, and they come out of their shells with our program. Many students who go through the program go on to perform with other theatre companies and in high school.”

This year’s musical adaptation of the beloved Dr. Seuss story was selected due to student and community appeal, with several students wanting to perform in the family-friendly and relatable story.

If you go

Keith Valley Middle School will stage the musical production of "Horton Hears a Who" in the school's auditorium, 227 Meetinghouse Road in Horsham, beginning on Thursday and continuing through Saturday. Curtains go up at 7:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at the door. Cost is $5 for children through eighth-grade, and $10 for adults.


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