Welcome to PLAYBILLDER Spotlight, where Playbill highlights shows from educational institutions or regional theatres and special events around the country (who have used Playbill's program-building service). By welcoming these PLAYBILLDERs center stage, we hope to give our readers a more in-depth look at theatre programs that are fostering the love of the performing arts in the next generation and the way theatre lovers are bringing Playbill along for life's big moments.
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This week's Spotlight is Susie Ann's Stage for Youth (SASY) Theater of Annandale, New Jersey, and their production of Beetlejuice, Jr. The ghost-with-the-most comes to the stage in Beetlejuice JR., the frightfully funny musical based on the beloved motion picture turned Broadway phenomenon. Lydia Deetz is a strange and unusual teenager, still grieving the loss of her mother and obsessed with the whole “being dead thing.” Lucky for Lydia, she and her father move to a new house haunted by a recently deceased couple and Beetlejuice, a delightful demon with a real zest for life. When Lydia calls on Beetlejuice to scare away anyone with a pulse, this double-crossing specter shows his true stripes, unleashing a (Nether)world of pandemonium.
Producer and President of SASY, Kate Emery, shared with Playbill why it is important that every kid have their time to shine and the words of encouragement shared by Broadway's original Beetlejuice, Alex Brightman!
Tell us a little about yourself. How many years have you been teaching?
Kate Emery: I am the President of SASY, Susie Ann's Stage for Youth. Created in honor of Susie Konya Emery—a beloved local performer and advocate for inclusive youth theater—SASY Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit committed to providing flexible, performance-based opportunities for young people of all backgrounds and schedules.
What is your proudest moment as an educator?
What I'm proudest of is providing an opportunity to those kids who also play sports or have other activities and otherwise wouldn't be able to perform. I'm also proud of how we go about casting. We ensure every performer is featured. It might just be a single line or an extra dance, but every single cast member had their own sliver of spotlight during our production. This is something I will continue to do in all future productions as well. Every kid deserves to shine!
What are the most challenging and most rewarding aspects of teaching the performing arts to today's students?
What is really challenging is trying to coordinate schedules among actors and ensuring that the experience is meaningful and enjoyable for the kids. We want to be flexible, but we also want the kids to be dedicated to the show. This balance is difficult, but we figured it out with the age-old motto: The show must go on!
What shows are your kids obsessed with right now?
Our kids are obsessed with Wicked, Hamilton, and (you guessed it) Beetlejuice. Alex Brightman actually sent our cast a special message of encouragement. He told the kids that he wished he could have been at their show, but that he was happy we were doing it. He also told the kids to always keep at it. Every kid wanted to see Beetlejuice on Broadway after that!
What are your dreams for how your drama department can grow?
We put on a junior show this year, but we are excited to put on a full-show production next year. We know the cast is just itching to find out, and I think we have made our selection! Part of our reasoning for choosing the upcoming show is to maximize potential participants. It's a fun Disney show with a lot of parts. So, going back to my earlier comments, every kid will have their time to shine!
Tell us a little bit about the production. What made you pick the show?
We picked Beetlejuice Jr. because it is popular and new! It hasn't been out for a long time so we knew it would draw a crowd. Plus, let's be honest, most junior shows are well...junior shows. They lack a comprehensible storyline and songs are cut like crazy. Beetlejuice Jr. still held up the plot while keeping in the strongest part of the songs.
What are the kids loving about the show?
The kids loved the music and the fact that this was more of an ensemble production. The ensemble was constantly on the stage, and everyone felt like they were included. We also never separated the older kids from the younger kids, which many theater organizations tend to do. So, the older kids became theater mentors to the younger kids.
How did the students participate in the design or production of this Playbill?
All of the kids (with or without help from their parents) wrote their bios and many supported the show by buying Shout-Outs. When the cast saw the Playbill, they were so excited. They all said it felt so real and that this was a professional production. I spent a significant amount of time on our Playbill, ensuring accuracy and making sure it was enjoyable to read through.
How has PLAYBILLDER impacted your performing arts program as a resource?
The Playbill made us look and feel professional! There is something to be said about holding an official Playbill in your hand and connecting the content with the cast and the show. Using the tool was pretty easy once I got the hang of it. I will absolutely use the PLAYBILLDER for our next production!
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