Walpole High Students Return To The Stage With "Seussical"

WALPOLE, MA - For the first time in two years, the Walpole High School Drama Club will return to the stage this weekend in a production of "Seussical," a musical based on the characters in the children's books by Dr. Seuss.

Performances will be held on Saturday, November 13 at 7 p.m. with a Sunday matinee the following day at 3 p.m. at the Walpole High School auditorium at 275 Common St.

WHS drama adviser Jim D'Attilio on Friday spoke from the control booth as he watched the dancers rehearsing onstage. There was a flurry of activity around him. Students were busy putting the final details on the painted sets.

"It was a long, long wait," he said. "But it was worse for the kids."

"One of the things that's challenging this year is that we have a smaller group," he explained, noting there are about 30 students among the cast, crew, and pit orchestra, including five middle school students. "Usually every year we would bring in a big class of freshman. But because of COVID the past two years, it's been much smaller, even at the middle schools where we draw from."

The students who are currently juniors and seniors also missed much of their in-person instruction over the past year, he added.

"Fortunately, we chose a show where we can be flexible with a smaller cast," D'Attilio, a lifelong Walpole resident, said. "Last time we did it many years ago, we had almost triple the number of students involved. But you can utilize a fairly modest cast or a huge cast with this."

The March 2020 show, a play called "Love Rides the Rails," was abruptly canceled after months of rehearsals.

"We were due to open the very next night when the governor announced that schools were closing," he said. "That Friday afternoon during the final dress rehearsal, we got the word that we would be unable to perform."

After having what he called a "group cry," the students reflected on the fun they had in the program, he recalled.

"I was so proud of them," D'Attilio said. "They handled it with tremendous grace."

Because of their adaptability, the school was able to put on a radio play over Zoom in the spring, which was broadcast on YouTube. He met with his students a couple of times weekly over Zoom to rehearse.

"I thought it was poor consolation, but they never complained," he said. "Considering the way things were then, it was a little bit of normalcy for them and for me to meet."

D'Attilio is a veteran of organizing stage performances, having started in 1979. He has been working full-time in the Walpole school system for the last 17 years, and his 29th year of running the drama program here.

"First off, you get really flexible, or you don't last this long in it," he said. "Second, I teach engineering technology at the Bird Middle School, so I use a lot of problem-solving skills."

In addtion, the Walpole High School graduate runs the control room for all of the groups who use the auditorium space at the high school.

"The kids keep me young and fresh," he said.

Because of his adaptability, the school was able to put on a radio performance last year as well as a spring cabaret outdoors. He met with his students weekly over Zoom to rehearse.

"We tried to put together whatever we could during the pandemic, but there was just no way that regulations would allow a musical last year," he said.

After the pandemic, "Seussical" seemed to be the right choice to lighten people's moods, he noted.

D'Attilio also intends to continue the tradition of a winter play in early March and a performance before the school year ends.

"We usually try to do something really small scale in the spring like a cabaret," he said. "Sometimes we will do improv or a series of skits because the students' schedules are super busy. We don't want to have to compete for kids' time."

The thespians will have to perform "Seussical" wearing masks due to the state's mandate inside of school buildings. However, D'Attilio said he received clear face shields for the performers from the school nurses.

"It's an improvement because at least they're not muffled, even if they look a little bizarre," he said with a laugh. "Then again, it is 'Seussical,' so it could be weirder."

Usually the performers work with wireless body mics, but they were unable to attach them correctly with regular face masks.

"With the clear masks, we were able to snake them in and tape the edge with a tiny clear piece of book repair tape to keep them in place," he said.

There will only be about 290 seats per performance because of social distancing requirements.

Tickets and information are available here. You can also donate to the Walpole High School drama program or buy swag at the link.