Interview: Director, Timothy Maureen Cole of Wharton Arts and SEUSSICAL
Director, Timothy Maureen Cole
By: Marina Kennedy May. 13, 2024
Wharton Arts, New Jersey’s largest non-profit community performing arts education center, has announced that its community theater program, Wharton Community Players, will present its first musical production and first intergenerational cast in Seussical, June 20-23, in the Wharton Black Box Theater. Performances are June 20, 21, and 22 at 8:00 p.m. and June 22 and 23 at 2:00 p.m. at 60 Locust Avenue in Berkeley Heights.
Written by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty and directed by Timothy Maureen Cole, Seussical explores the whimsical world of beloved author Dr. Seuss. Fun for the whole family, the audience is invited to discover familiar characters from Horton the Elephant, The Cat in the Hat, Gertrude McFuzz, and lazy Mayzie, to a little boy with a big imagination: Jojo! Join us as we travel from the Jungle of Nool to the Circus McGurkus to the invisible world of the Whos.
Broadwayworld had the pleasure of interviewing the director of Seussical, Timothy Maureen Cole about her career and the upcoming show at Wharton Arts in Berkeley Heights.
Cole holds a Master of Music degree in Voice Performance and Pedagogy from Westminster Choir College and a Bachelor of Music degree in Voice Performance from Ithaca College, and has been teaching voice, music theater, and piano since 2007. She holds certification in Early Childhood Music Education from Kindermusik International and is a member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing. In addition to private and group instruction, Cole has collegiate teaching experience at Horry Georgetown Technical College and James Madison University. Cole has extensive performance experience in classical and musical theater repertoire. Appearances include La Boheme (Mimi), Le Nozze Di Figaro (Countess), Wilde’s Wild West, (Frenchie), Aics and Galatea (Damon), Elixir of Love (Adina), Cask of Amontillado, The Tell-Tale Heart, and Scarlatti’s La Giuditta (Giuditta). Favorite music theater performances include Kiss Me Kate (Kate), Anything Goes (Reno), You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown (Sally), Once Upon A Mattress, and My Favorite Year. Working with students of all ages, Cole treats every student as an individual. She believes that the fundamental techniques of voice—breath, support, posture, resonance, and diction—can and should be applied to all types of singing and theater performance. Her specialization in pedagogy gives her a great technical understanding of the voice, and she enjoys preparing singers for auditions, competitions, productions, and performances of all types.
When did you first realize that a musical career would be in your future?
I was involved in music from a very young age and started piano lessons at five. By the time I was 10 or 11 I was also very involved in theater classes and voice lessons. I really never thought of doing anything else to be honest. My goals and idea what I might do evolved over time but the only thing I ever really wanted to do was to be in the performing arts.
How does being a performer complement your role as a director?
Being a performer is so helpful as a director. It helps me to be in the same headspace as they are, and also to stage or musically ask for things that I know will look and sound creative on stage, but also be comfortable for their voices and bodies.
Tell us a little bit about Wharton Arts and what it provides for the local communities.
Wharton is an amazing arts educational nonprofit that serves so many in the local communities, but also in the state of New Jersey. Wharton Community Players (WCP) is based in Berkeley Heights at our Performing Arts School. Historically we have offered classes, lessons, and performance opportunities in musical theater, drama, and instruments of all types. But WCP is our very first free theater program for participants, and it's been amazing to open up the production this season to adults and children. WCP serves the artists that perform on our stage, and also brings performances to the local community for the entire family to enjoy. Truly everyone can benefit from what WCP is doing!
What are some of the challenges of directing Seussical?
Since 2022 WCP has taken on smaller plays for adult performers only. Seussical can be done with only adults, but it's such a family friendly show that we decided to make the production intergenerational. It's a great chance to bring everyone together. The younger performers are learning a lot from the more seasoned adults in the cast. But, as you can imagine, working with such a wide range of performers can be challenging. Everyone is on a different level, and as the director, I try to meet everyone where they are while still keeping the rehearsal schedule moving forward.
We love to know a little bit about the cast and creative team that will bring the show to the Berkeley Height stage.
There are so many moving parts to a musical production, as I'm sure your readers are aware. I could never do this on my own and I'm so grateful to the amazing creative team behind Seussical. Jillian Mauro, who is a director in her own right, is our amazing choreographer and first came to Wharton for our fall class production of Beauty and the Beast JR. Supporting us musically are Natalie Pereira (one of Wharton's theater arts faculty) and Peter Hill (collaborative pianist and Wharton piano faculty). One of the truly wonderful things about Wharton is our ability to have live music at rehearsals and performances. That's not something that all community theaters have. In addition to live piano at rehearsals, we will be joined for the final rehearsals and performance by a small ensemble of pit members from our Wharton Arts Faculty: Selia Myers (woodwinds), Misha Kuchuk (violin), Kevin Brown (bass), and Daniel Giannone (percussion). Lastly, I truly want to acknowledge Susan Peterson who is the Director of Operations at Wharton. She has been with WCP since the beginning and has helped me produce our previous productions. We are so pleased to have her as both a producer and the technical director of this production of Seussical.
Why is Seussical a great selection for this season?
I touched on this in an earlier question. But Seussical is a fun musical for all ages, with a large cast, and a truly heartwarming message. It was a perfect choice for an intergenerational cast production and is something that any audience member, regardless of age, will enjoy.
Can you share with us any of your future plans?
Wharton is in the process of planning for next season at the moment. I can't say anything official yet, but you can expect that WCP will be back for winter play and spring musical in 2024-2025! Stay tuned.
Performances of Seussical are June 20, 21, and 22 at 8:00 p.m. and June 22 and 23 at 2:00 p.m. at 60 Locust Avenue in Berkeley Heights. Tickets are $25 for adults and $20 fpr students and seniors.
Photo Credit: Ryan Jacobi
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