By Jennifer Sembler
Kids Performing Who Kare, the non-profit organization that heads the events, will host Seussical this year, the fifth fundraising musical. The show will debut at Covert Elementary School the weekend of May 19. "This year is all about the kids," said Baez. "We wanted it to be more open to families and get more people involved." The age of the actors in the show range from 6 to 18, and they hail from all over Long Island. Previous productions include Annie, Into the Woods, Grease, and Le Miserables.
The shows require months of preparation that begin with securing donations, because without, the shows could not continue. "A lot of people respond to the sponsor letters and donate money, food, costumes, wood, anything we need," said Baez. Once the organization is able to raise money to fund the show, Baez holds open auditions to cast the parts. "Once it starts up, we donate all of our time to this," she said. Rehearsals, which usually last four hours a night, started the last week of March. "Everyone is so dedicated, especially because they know they are working hard for a really good cause."
"I'm dedicating the show to my daughter this year because this will probably be the last show she is fully involved in," said Virginia Baez, producer, head of Kids Performing Who Kare, and Gina's mother. "I want this to be a tribute to her."
Seussical will be Baez's last directorial production. She plans to attend the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami next year to major in vocal performance and minor in theater.Though Baez will no longer serve as director, the foundation plans to still host a fundraising musical every year. "I think people have learned from this," said Virginia. "They saw how hard it was for Gina [going through treatments], but also how she got through it and made something positive out of it."
Over the past four years, Kids Performing Who Kare has donated over $52,000, not including this year's proceeds, to the Cancer Center for Kids at Winthrop University Hospital.The foundation also donates the profit from the Saturday matinee to the Pierre Madacsi Fund, which goes toward a local family who lost their father to cancer. "Every year gets better and better," said Baez. "And every year we raise more and more money. It's been such a successful group, and I hope [the shows] inspire people to do something like this for something that they feel strongly about."
Seussical is showing May 19 at 8 p.m., May 20 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., and May 21 at 2 p.m. Tickets are on sale now. To purchase, contact Virginia Baez directly at 764-4173. The price of admission is $15 and it is reserved seating at Covert Elementary School on Long Beach Road.
