Fredericksburg, Va—The Wickersham brothers, a group of five “biggest blame fools” anyone ever did see, will cause no little amount of havoc at STEP VA Inc.'s performances of Seussical Jr. next month, with Joey Sergi rounding out the pack of monkeys, which will be led by Evan Euripides.
While Euripides is no stranger to STEP VA, the local 501(c)3 non-profit that “empowers people with disabilities and their families through creative expression and sensory exploration,” this is his first foray into the organization's spring musical.
“I was in some camps over the summer and forgot how much fun they were,” Euripides said. “I love being part of the STEP VA gang. It's all great.”
While Horton is his favorite character, he's leaning into his role as the leader of the Wickersham brothers. His favorite song in the show—“The Biggest Blame Fool in the Jungle of Nool”—is one he'll perform with Sergi, Carson Baiz, Reeve Watson and Gavin Marchand. Learning the songs and dances has been his favorite part of rehearsal so far.
“I love that I get to make new friends and get to meet with my friends every week,” Euripides said, before correcting himself. Having signed up for the tech classes as well, he's getting to learn what goes on behind-the-scenes and help create the magic from both sides of the stage.
“I look forward to Mondays and Thursdays,” he added.
When asked what he's looking forward to when it comes to performing in April, Euripides said, “Being on stage and hearing all the cheers—especially for the monkeys!”
Joey Sergi is also enjoying his role as a Wickersham brother. He likes getting to be mischevious and finds it funny when (spoiler alert) the Wickershams steal the clover from Horton.
While he loves all the music, “as a Wickersham, I get to dance 'Monkey Around' with my friends,” he said, adding that he likes having his sister, Jade, and Jonathan—a STEP VA volunteer—teaching the Wickershams the choreography for the dance.
However, Sergi is polishing his acting chops by also taking on the role of Vlad Vladikov, one of the show's villains. His favorite part about being one of the bad guys? (spoiler alert)
“He nearly kills the Whos,” he said, to his mother's dismay.
Though he talks tough, Sergi is far from scary. His cast mates say he's expressive in his own - non-threatening- way and he's embracing the experience of being in the cast.
“I love it all,” he admitted.
STEP VA will present Seussical Jr. at Courtland High school on April 13 at 6 p.m., and on April 14 at 3 p.m. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased HERE.
For more information or to donate to the organization, visit www.stepva.org.
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STEP VA, Inc. is a 501c3 non-profit organization that provides sensory-based theater and arts programs for individuals with disabilities. Its vision is to transform the world by offering each individual the opportunity to flourish in the community.