Alpharetta Theater Group Prepares To Defend Title at Performing Arts Festival

Photo: actors in Off Broadway’s “Seussical Jr.” performance. Credit: Off Broadway Children’s Theater’s Facebook page

Can the actors from Alpharetta-based Off Broadway Children’s Theater defend their title at the 10th annual Brightspark National Performing Arts Festival at Disney World? That depends on how Gertrude shakes her tail feather and if Horton hears a hoot from the crowd.

Last year, the students from Alpharetta took home top honors with the Showcase Award for their performance of “Once on This Island.”

This year, co-founder and choreographer Christian Mayer has cooked up an even kookier “Seussical Jr.” with a “West Side Story” flavor. He has set the Dr. Seuss classic in 1950s Manhattan, with Horton the Elephant reincarnated as a car mechanic, and Gertrude McFuzz as a flower shop girl.

This is Off Broadway’s third appearance at the Brightspark National Performing Arts Festival, which brings together high school and middle school students an American Idol-like format, coached and judged by the pros, each of the schools eyeing the prize of performing on one of the nation’s best-known stages.

From Feb. 20-22, more than a dozen groups from around the country will show their stuff before an audience of judges and their peers, and will attend workshops with professional actors, including the star of “Finding Nemo,” Michelle Knight.

Each troupe will be eyeing the top prize of performing for the Magic Kingdom public at large.

Produced by Brightspark Travel in coordination with Walt Disney World Resort, the festival represents a rare opportunity for teachers to take students to a national competition.

“There are plenty of competitions out there for students in general, but very few opportunities for theater groups,” said Mary Ernst, drama instructor at North Forsyth High School, who participated in 2014.