By: Dale G. Henderson P.Eng
September 2009
New Job Creation ‘Vision’ Must Be About Making Dreams Come True
Justin Eddy is one of those little kids who just glows from the inside out. At nine years old he has the confidence and love of life that has propelled him onto the stage as Jo Jo in Seussical Jr, even though he’s never had any kind of acting role before. I think it’s his mega-watt smile and his bright eyes which capture me most. And, sitting down with Justin and his Mom, it is clear he has no qualms about performing in front of 600 people on any given night.
“I love singing and I’m excited because it’s my first actual musical,” he told me recently. “And when I am in the theatre, I try to think like Jo Jo so I can actually get into his character. What I really like about Jo Jo is that he is a thinker and when he is thinking, well, that gets him into mischief – like in one scene when he is sitting in the tub thinking and he overflows the tub! I could see how that could happen!”
This is why we have kids on stage – because they get their own age group without being burdened with the knowledge of age.
Justin heard about Seussical Jr last spring at school. He is going into grade 5 at the Pearson School for the Arts, just around the corner from the London City Music Theatre in London. Even though he is attends an arts school he hasn’t had many chances to be on stage yet. Although his mom says that Justin has been watching musicals since he was very young, he has always been drawn to “Cats” and “Aladdin”. So, maybe it’s just right that we found him for Seussical Jr!
He is sure to have a lot of support at the show, too. His grandparents and a cousin are coming from Kingston to see him perform. And, it likely won’t be the last time they see him on stage as this young, smiling guy has already decided he wants to be an actor – that is when he isn’t busy at karate or gymnastics classes.
Just watch for the kid with the big smile – that’s our Jo Jo!
Seussical Jr runs at the London City Music Theatre September 24 to October 1st.Email: dalehview@gmail.com
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