SeDoMoCha Stageworks, Jr. presents ‘The Big One-Oh! JR.’
DOVER-FOXCROFT — SeDoMoCha Elementary School’s very own drama program, Stageworks, Jr., invites you to a big-hearted, fun-filled celebration of family, friendship, and birthday cake when students present the musical “The Big One-Oh! JR.” beginning Friday, Jan. 12 at Central Hall Commons, 152 East Main Street in Dover-Foxcroft. Based on the novel of the same name by Oscar-winning screenwriter, songwriter, and novelist Dean Pitchford (“Fame”, “Footloose”), “The Big One-Oh! JR”. is a triumphant musical about a boy named Charley who decides to throw himself the “best birthday party in the history of the world” to celebrate the monumental occasion of turning 10.
Show times are Jan. 12, 13, 19, and 20 at 6 p.m. on Fridays and 2 and 6 p.m. on Saturdays. Tickets are $2/students under 18 and $3/adults. For more information: contact David Murray at dmurray@sedomocha.org and see https://centralhallcommons.org/ for information on Central Hall Commons.
“‘The Big One-Oh! JR.’ is a wildly creative, funny, and clever coming-of-age story which – at its heart – recognizes the vulnerability and sensitivity of elementary schoolers,” says Drew Cohen, president and CEO of Music Theatre International. “We’re all rooting for Charley– he’s a loveable, imaginative, and brave kid on a hilarious and sometimes misguided search for friendship. We applaud the cast at Stageworks, Jr. for telling his story.”
“The Big One-Oh! JR.” features lyrics by Dean Pitchford, music by Doug Besterman (Tony Award winning orchestrator for Fosse, “The Producers”, “Thoroughly Modern Millie”), and a libretto by Timothy Allen McDonald (Roald Dahl’s “James and the Giant Peach”, “Between the Lines”).
Charley Maplewood is about to reach a milestone: he’s turning 10 – the big one-oh! He has never been one for parties — that would require friends, which he doesn’t have. Well, unless you count his monster friends, but they’re only imaginary. Charley’s still adjusting to his parents’ divorce and his move to a completely new school. Now that he’s turning 10, he decides to throw a birthday party for himself, complete with a “House of Horrors” theme. Of course, things don’t work out as he plans. Will Charley be able to pull it together before the big one-oh… becomes the big OH-NO!?
“I wrote the novel of ‘The Big One-Oh!’ under very sad circumstances,” remembers Dean Pitchford. “My younger sister was in the first tower of the World Trade Center on Sept. 11; when she passed, she left behind a nine-and-a-half-year-old daughter and a two-year-old son. I wrote the book to connect with my niece, who was – and still is – a voracious reader. After she read my first manuscript, her questions and comments inspired a re-write. Three weeks later, the book was bought by Putnam! Years later, it’s so moving to see young theatre people connect to the story that she and I bonded over. And these characters continue to show up and make me laugh and love. I know they are in good hands at Stageworks, Jr. and I’m sending a big ‘break-a-leg’ to everyone involved in the production.”
The cast features students from SeDoMoCha Elementary School in grades 1-4, as well as middle schoolers who are filling in on the technical aspects of the show, including lights, sounds and backstage work.
“The Big One-Oh! JR.” is presented through special arrangement with and all authorized materials are supplied by Music Theatre International 423 West 55th Street, New York, NY 10019, 212-541-4684, mtishows.com.
Music Theatre International is one of the world’s leading theatrical licensing agencies, granting theatres from around the world the rights to perform the greatest selection of musicals from Broadway and beyond. Founded in 1952 by composer Frank Loesser, and orchestrator Don Walker, MTI is a driving force in advancing musical theatre as a vibrant and engaging art form. MTI works directly with the composers, lyricists, and book writers of these musicals to provide official scripts, musical materials, and dynamic theatrical resources to over 70,000 professional, community, and school theatres in the US and in over 60 countries worldwide.
MTI is particularly dedicated to educational theatre and has created special collections to meet the needs of various types of performers and audiences. MTI’s Broadway Junior shows are 30- and 60-minute musicals for performance by elementary and middle school-aged performers, while MTI’s School Editions are musicals annotated for performance by high school students.
MTI maintains its global headquarters in New York City (mtishows.com), with additional offices in London (MTI Europe: mtishows.co.uk, mtishows.eu), and Melbourne (MTI Australasia: mtishows.com.au).