Fall Production is an organization for all students at Jones Middle School. There are several levels of involvement to facilitate busy schedules. Students involved in JMS athletics, community organizations, private lessons, etc. are still encouraged to participate. Performers include character roles and ensembles that rehearse 1-5 days a week for eight weeks. Tech Crew is involved everyday in the last 9 days. All students involved should expect to be present at dress rehearsals and performances.

Shows are selected on a three year thematic rotation: Fantasy, Modern/Contemporary, Traditional. Our philosophy is to teach through performance and expose students to a wide variety of experiences. In this way, all students have the opportunity to perform in each category during their three years at Jones. We also keep a detailed history of the organization.  If you have any information to share, please send it to Sarah Santilli, at [email protected]. You can also view pictures of our past productions in the auditorium hallway.

The Production Staff firmly believes that a student's academic performance should not suffer because of their rehearsal schedule. We value your time and create rehearsal schedules to be efficient, avoiding as many conflicts as possible. At times, students will have down time during rehearsal and are encouraged to bring their homework.

Parent Coordinators organize parent volunteers to help make sure Fall Production is always a success! We rely on the tireless efforts of parent committees to take care of every detail, allowing the Directors to focus all their attention on the students. If you would like to get involved, please contact our Parent Coordinators at [email protected]. Parent Coordinators for 2023 are Gretchen Griffith, Raeanna O’Brien, and Caren Wildman.  Thank you, parents, for all your hard work and dedication to Fall Production!

We hope you get involved in Fall Production!

Seussical Jr.

Performance Dates:
Friday, October 20, 9:00am, 5th Grade Matinee
Friday, October 20, 7:00pm
Saturday, October 21, 7:00pm
Sunday, October 22, 2:00pm
*All Cast and Tech Crew students will be participating in all performances.

Ticket Information:
Tickets are $10.00 in advance and at the door.  All seats are reserved and can be purchased online with a credit card starting in October.

Plot Synopsis:
Horton the Elephant, the Cat in the Hat and all of your favorite Dr. Seuss characters spring to life onstage in Seussical JR., a fantastical musical extravaganza from Tony-winners, Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty.

Transporting audiences from the Jungle of Nool to the Circus McGurkus, the Cat in the Hat narrates the story of Horton the Elephant, who discovers a speck of dust containing tiny people called the Whos. Horton must protect the Whos from a world of naysayers and dangers, and he must also guard an abandoned egg that's been left in his care by the irresponsible Mayzie La Bird.  Although Horton faces ridicule, danger and a trial, the intrepid Gertrude McFuzz never loses faith in him.  Ultimately, the powers of friendship, loyalty, family and community are challenged and emerge triumphant!

Seussical JR. provides wonderful creative opportunities in terms of set design, lighting and costuming and can easily accommodate a large cast of expandable “Seussian” creatures.

More information available here: https://www.mtishows.com/seussical-jr 

Sarah Santilli (Producer): This is Sarah's thirteenth year at Jones Middle School teaching Vocal and General Music and nineteenth year teaching overall. Local productions include Secret Garden (Rose) with BRAVO; Mary Poppins (Katie Nanna, Featured Dancer), Tarzan the Musical (Mother), The Little Mermaid (Atina), and Seussical (Bird Girl) with Westerville Civic Theatre; Mary Poppins, Cinderella and Sound of Music (Music Director) with Butterfly Guild; and She Loves Me (Customer #1), Side Show (Venus de Milo/Violet US), and Les Misérables with Gallery Players. Sarah previously directed for the Columbus Children's Choir and has produced/directed several school and community shows in Central and Northwest Ohio. She has music education degrees from The Ohio State University and Capital University, where she also received Kodály Certification and teaches graduate level courses.

Dana Boda (Stage Director): Dana Boda graduated with a BFA in Musical Theatre from Syracuse University. After graduating, she moved to New York and was cast in commercials, print ads, and musicals. Favorite credits include: touring the country as Eliza Doolittle in the Cameron Macintosh/Trevor Nunn production of My Fair Lady, Luisa in The Fantasticks at Barrington Stage Company, Jellylorum in Cats (original choreography), Vicki in A Grand Night for Singing at Short North Stage, and Maria in West Side Story where she met husband, Ryan Boda, who played Tony. Most recently she had the honor of playing Maria in the Butterfly Guild’s production of The Sound of Music. Dana has also spent time volunteering at the New York State Psychiatric Institute (High School) as a reading tutor to kids in Harlem and as a substitute teacher in Florida. In her free time, she shuttles sons Logan (8), James (3), and Barrett (3) to various activities. She is thrilled to be joining this wonderful and talented group and cannot wait to watch the kids shine on stage!

Amy Leacock (Music Director): Amy Leacock graduated from BGSU with a degree in vocal music education and is a director and accompanist for the UAHS choral department. Her previous experiences include one year at Jones Middle School, ten years at Arbor Hills Junior High in Sylvania, OH and two years at Pleasant View School for The Arts in North Canton, OH. She is a certified adjudicator through the Ohio Music Educator’s Association. Mrs. Leacock served as the Chancel and Treble Choir director at the Sylvania United Church of Christ for four years. She is currently the assistant director of the Scioto Valley Chorus and was the baritone of the 2009 International Championship Sweet Adeline quartet Moxie Ladies! She sang jingles and commercials in Toledo for five years; the old WNCI jingles were sung by her group. She is in demand as a clinician for Sweet Adeline’s Young Women in Harmony and travels throughout the US for camps and clinics and Honor Choirs. Amy's musical theater experiences include: stage directing, music directing, choreographer, pit player, pit director, and actress in countless musicals. She runs a Musical Theatre camp in the summer at Muskingum University. She and her husband Chris are the proud parents of two daughters McKenzie and Ava.
Kate Hauswirth (Student Choreographer): This is Kate’s third year helping put on Jones Fall Pro! Previous credits include: Shrek Jr (Young Fiona), Mary Poppins Jr (Jane), and Frozen Jr (Anna) at Jones Middle School, 42nd Street (Phyllis Dale) and Beauty and the Beast (Dance Captain/Featured Dancer) with UAHS, BalletMet’s Cinderella (Young Cinderella) and BalletMet’s The Nutcracker (Page/Party Girl/Ginger), etc. She participates in the Vocal Ensemble, Concert Chorale, and Bel Canto Choirs at UAHS and has choreographed dance numbers for the high school’s Follies (2021/22 and 2022/23). She can’t wait to be part of continuing JMS’s Fall Pro traditions!

Tom Galligan (Tech Director): coming soon!

Patricia Mendoza (Assistant Director): This is Patricia's 20th year teaching Spanish at Jones and 4th year assisting with Fall Pro.  She loves spending time with family, especially traveling together. Patricia enjoys trying new foods, listening to music, and dancing and playing tennis to stay active. Her family has two dogs including a new puppy!  The JMS fall production crew is amazing and the students have definitely given her the theater bug!

Alice Aichele (Backstage and Technology Assistant): Alice teaches 8th Grade American History at Jones and has been working in UA for sixteen years.  Although not a theatre veteran, Alice is an avid theatre goer and has a daughter who has been bitten by the theatre bug.  Alice helps off stage with several of the logistical aspects of the show and is excited to be part of this great Jones tradition.

Parent Coordinators 2023:
Gretchen Griffith, Raeanna O’Brien, and Caren Wildman
[email protected]

2023—Seussical Jr.

2022—Newsies Jr.
2021—Matilda Jr.
2020—Frozen Kids (spring 2021)
2019—Mary Poppins Jr.
2018—Shrek Jr.
2017—Peter Pan Jr.
2016—Singin’ In The Rain Jr.
2015—High School Musical Jr.
2014—The Little Mermaid Jr.
2013—Annie Jr.
2012—Fame Jr.
2011—Beauty and the Beast Jr.
2010—Music Man Jr.
2009—High School Musical Jr.
2008—Annie/Grease
2007—The Wizard of Oz/Disney Favorites
2006—Cinderella/King and I
2005—Peter Pan/Grease
2004—Annie/Tom Sawyer
2003—Music Man/Wizard of Oz
2002—Peter Pan/Grease
2001—Annie/Oliver
2000—Wizard of Oz/Disney Favorites
1999—Music Man/Grease
1998—Annie/Oliver
1997—Wizard of Oz/Grease
1996—Music Man/Tom Sawyer
1995—The Sound of Music/Disney Favorites (Snow White/The Little Mermaid/Peter Pan/Aladdin)
1994—Annie/Disney Favorites (Pete’s Dragon/Cinderella/Mary Poppins/Beauty and the Beast)
1993—Wizard of Oz/Oliver
1992—Music Man/Tom Sawyer
1991—Peter Pan/Calamity Jane/Fiddler on the Roof
1990—The King and I/Bye Bye Birdie (Jones and Hastings)
1989—Annie
1988—Music Man
1987—The Wizard of Oz
1986—Broadway Favorites (Fame/Peter Pan/Music Man/Sound of Music/Shenandoah)
1985—Back to Broadway (West Side Story/Charlie Brown/Annie/Grease/Charlie Brown)
1984—Cheaper By the Dozen/Teen 1 & 2
1983—Oliver
1982—The American Dream Machine
1981—The Wiz/Annie/Grease/Saturday Night Fever/Electric Horseman
1980—Celebrate
1979—Jones On Stage
1978—Jones On Stage
1977—Jones On Stage
1976—Bicentennial Show (May)
1976—Variety Show (November)

1954—Brigadoon
1951—Our Miss Brooks
1950—The Great Big Doorstep
1949—Last Stop
1948—Ladies in Retirement
1947—Berkely Square
1943—You Can’t Take it With You and Arsenic and Old Lace
1939—Growing Pains
1931—The Whole Town’s Talking
1930—Krazy Kaper Kabaret
1929—Seventeen

Jones Middle School Fall Production auditions are open to all students in grades 6-8. Characters are cast based on audition performance and rehearsal availability.  Fall Production follows the Upper Arlington district anti-discrimination policy. Furthermore, students with parents on the production team do not receive special consideration. Directing staff with children auditioning are not present in the audition room and are not part of the casting decision for their child. Parent Coordinators and Parent Committee Chairs are not involved in any part of the audition process.  We strive to create the most professional and fairest experience possible for our students.

Every show presents different characters, requiring varying skill sets. Not every show has a character for every type of performer. Students who received roles as 7th graders are not guaranteed roles in 8th grade based on their previous experience. The audition panel seeks to put students where they will be most successful and best benefit the production overall.

Auditions are the hardest part of our jobs because we know the decisions made affect so many people personally. Over 100 students audition for Fall Production annually. Thank you for your understanding and support as students step outside their comfort zone, many for their very first time. Jones Fall Production accepts all students, regardless of audition outcome, as performers.  There are no cuts and everybody plays.