Latest / The BSB Podcast / Exclusive Interview: Leon Anderson Jr. of OnOurOwn Productions' 'Seussical The Musical'

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Exclusive Interview: Leon Anderson Jr. of OnOurOwn Productions' 'Seussical The Musical' · The BSB Podcast

• 0:00
  We're so glad to have you here.
• 0:01
  We are so excited for Seussical the musical, which you're currently in the rehearsal process for.
• 0:06
  How is that going?
• 0:07
  uh It's going pretty well.
• 0:11
  The best thing about this particular group can sometimes be the worst thing at times though because everybody is so friendly, everybody gets along real well, um everybody's
• 0:23
  very accommodating the whole time, and tech week is next week and I'm not sure if we've had everybody at one rehearsal yet.
• 0:32
  Okay
• 0:35
  But it's coming together really, really well.
• 0:37
  too, right?
• 0:38
  I guess maybe between 40, 50 people.
• 0:41
  If I had to guess.
• 0:43
  um So for those who are maybe unfamiliar with the story of Susacle the musical, can you kind of tell us what's going on in the story and who you're playing?
• 0:54
  I am, well, my name is Leon Anderson Jr.
• 0:58
  I'm playing Horton the Elephant.
• 0:59
  This is my third time playing Horton, second time with this group, but it's been a minute.
• 1:06
  uh Last time we played, we did this show.
• 1:10
  My 15 year old was 18 months old and he was the elephant bird at the end of the show.
• 1:17
  And now he's like five inches taller than me.
• 1:19
  So it...
• 1:22
  lot of time has passed.
• 1:23
  of Dr.
• 1:24
  yeah, lot of years.
• 1:26
  It kind of merges a bunch of Dr.
• 1:28
  Sue stories.
• 1:29
  Clearly Horton hears a who, Horton lays an egg, um cat in hat, all kinds of stuff.
• 1:39
  And it starts off with Horton finding, hearing a little voice and tracking down the voice to find this little speck that he puts on this clover.
• 1:50
  And he, for majority of the show, he is the only one that hears it.
• 1:58
  And everybody, all the other animals thinks he's crazy.
• 2:01
  And then on the who side of things, there's Jojo getting in trouble with his parents because he's thinking too much.
• 2:10
  He daydreams all the time, makes these big things and messes.
• 2:16
  And so,
• 2:18
  Horton's got this big taftka head trying to protect the Who's that only he knows exists, but he knows that there's a mayor and a Mrs.
• 2:29
  Mayor and there's a Jojo out here feeling kind of alone like he is.
• 2:33
  So they have this little bit of a bond, if you will.
• 2:38
  But hilarity ensues.
• 2:40
  A lot of fun, catchy music.
• 2:43
  Wraps up on a green eggs and ham number, so yeah.
• 2:46
  So it sounds like the connective tissue truly is Jojo and Horton kind of throughout the stories what the narrative is.
• 2:53
  things so I'd say that yeah.
• 2:55
  So what do you feel like is Horton's motivation then?
• 2:59
  Because you say he finds the Whoville, you know?
• 3:02
  um What's his motivation throughout the Seussical?
• 3:06
  That's a question.
• 3:07
  um
• 3:08
  I just think he's a...
• 3:09
  maybe never had any true responsibility before.
• 3:14
  And having this one thing that at least for the time being nobody else can verify, it's kind of cool.
• 3:24
  I think, I don't know, you'd have to talk to Dr.
• 3:26
  Seuss about what the intention was behind the stories.
• 3:30
  But personally, I think it's cool.
• 3:33
  So you have mentioned that you've played HORN.
• 3:35
  This is your third time, correct?
• 3:37
  So what drew you to wanting to come back to this role?
• 3:40
  Um, honestly, it's because of said family.
• 3:45
  mentioned I had my youngest or my oldest at the time, uh, was just a little tike when we did it last time.
• 3:52
  So his mom was in it then she was very pregnant with our younger son.
• 3:59
  Also while she was playing Mrs.
• 4:01
  Mayor So all four of us are in it again this time.
• 4:05
  Um, she's playing Gertrude, uh, youngest son is one of the
• 4:11
  things and uh Tallboy is one of the cadets.
• 4:18
  So it's just, it's got a special little something for the Anderson family.
• 4:23
  I was gonna say it's a whole family affair.
• 4:26
  We have.
• 4:26
  ah Is there any pressure to stepping into the world of Dr.
• 4:29
  Seuss in kind of bringing the vibrant world to the stage?
• 4:33
  Well, given that it's my third time doing so, not really.
• 4:39
  For a beginner, maybe.
• 4:41
  For a first-timer, possibly.
• 4:42
  Luckily, all the music is pretty catchy.
• 4:47
  I know some people just don't like Dr.
• 4:52
  Seuss books, but they should probably still give this a try, because it's different.
• 4:57
  We have a ton of the books.
• 4:58
  this...
• 4:59
  I was gonna say, I grew up on Dr.
• 5:01
  Seuss.
• 5:01
  Like, this is right up my alley of, like, it's that nostalgicness of being a child again.
• 5:06
  Do you have a favorite song to perform in the show?
• 5:08
  For me m
• 5:10
  Technically, I guess it would maybe be a duet because it's alone in the universe when I sing it with JoJo.
• 5:15
  That's in Act 1.
• 5:17
  What kind of draws you to that one being one of your favorites?
• 5:19
  I just like the...
• 5:21
  The rhythms of it, I guess, would be a good...
• 5:25
  Like there's a song I have in Act Two that is good also, but it's kind of quiet.
• 5:33
  It's more like a lullaby.
• 5:34
  And Alone in the Universe is just kind of the first big joint um connection between Horton and JoJo.
• 5:44
  Okay.
• 5:45
  So it's like a really pivotal moment.
• 5:47
  Yeah.
• 5:48
  How has your role as Horton in this production, on our own production, challenged you as a performer?
• 5:56
  physically, you know, not as young as I used to be.
• 5:59
  So, so knees and back.
• 6:02
  oh
• 6:05
  oh They're constantly, you know, something drops.
• 6:08
  do you have any specific way that you get into the mindset of your character?
• 6:12
  I don't think I do, I just know that I should be.
• 6:16
  As silly as I can be while trying to be taken seriously as well, um it is Dr.
• 6:24
  Seuss.
• 6:24
  It doesn't have to be that deep.
• 6:26
  So.
• 6:27
  ah
• 6:29
  But at the same time, Dr.
• 6:30
  Seuss has a lot of layers.
• 6:31
  He has a lot of deep thoughts, which is kind of what Horton is.
• 6:34
  He's a deep thinker and kind of has to stand up against a lot of the adversity when people don't believe him.
• 6:41
  That is true.
• 6:42
  Has there been a standout moment amongst this rehearsal process or from this production that like, you just, you can't stop thinking about it, puts a smile on your face, know,
• 6:53
  something positive?
• 6:55
  uh Wyatt, the guy who plays Mr.
• 6:58
  Mayor.
• 7:00
  Every time he's doing lines and moving, I crack up.
• 7:04
  You'll just have to see it.
• 7:06
  And we're excited to see it.
• 7:08
  uh One final question for you then is just what are you hoping audiences take away from this production of Seussical the Musical?
• 7:14
  um that community theater is a safe place.
• 7:18
  ah
• 7:19
  Dr.
• 7:19
  Seuss is a safe topic.
• 7:21
  um Like you can just about put music to anything and make it make sense.
• 7:29
  um
• 7:31
  Don't be so...
• 7:33
  Don't be so...
• 7:34
  uh Don't be in such a hurry to...
• 7:38
  you know, judge some, judge a book by its cover and, you know, give somebody, be patient with people, give them a chance to prove themselves if they are thinking a little bit
• 7:50
  different here and there.
• 7:52
  That's a beautiful answer.
• 7:53
  uh Leon I appreciate you being here with us.
• 7:56
  I'm so excited to see you as Horton um when this production of Seussical Musical Arrivals stage.
• 8:01
  So thank you so much for your time and being here with us.
• 8:04
  Thanks for having me.
• 8:05
  Appreciate it.
• 8:06
  I think I did okay.
• 8:07
  oh
• 8:09
  On our own production of Seussical, Arise at the Fraser Performing Arts Center, June 20th and runs through the 28th, so get your tickets now and we will see you there.