By Patricia Reddig Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre He’s gone from Beef & Boards to a Broadway tour – in less than three months. Logan Sejas, 10, of Greenwood charmed audiences as Michael Banks in Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre’s production of “Mary Poppins” earlier this season. And now he’s been selected to perform in another Disney musical, but this time for a national audience. According to his mother, Kandra Sejas, it all happened rather quickly. Logan’s cast mate Kelly Teal Goyette, who played Mrs. Brill in Beef & Boards’ production of “Mary Poppins,” had been cast in the upcoming national tour of “Beauty and the Beast.” She told the Sejases that a young actor was still needed to play Chip, the inquisitive teacup who is the son of the enchanted teapot, Mrs. Potts. “When I heard they were still looking for a Chip, I knew he’d be perfect,” Kelly said. “I really took to Logan. I’ve worked with kids before in shows, and it’s one of my favorite things because I’m in awe of what they are capable of. Logan was pretty much a pro. He even stuck it out one night when he had the flu – in pain off stage but the biggest smile on stage.” However, because Logan was on stage daily in “Mary Poppins,” he was unable to travel to New York City for the auditions. So his mother had him perform a few songs, which she recorded and submitted. She said she didn’t hear anything for a while and had pretty much forgotten about it. “Then we got a call and they said they’d like to see him for a callback,” Kandra said. For Logan, the trip was exciting. “It was really fun,” he said. “We got to go to a lot of places like Central Park, the Statue of Liberty, and we got to see ‘The Lion King’ and ‘Newsies.’ ” The audition was brief, Logan said, admitting that while he felt he’d done pretty good, he couldn’t be sure it had been enough. “After an audition I can usually tell if I got the part, but I had no idea this time.” Kandra received the call three days later that they wanted him on board. Shock soon became excitement. Life is about to change, not only for Logan, but for the entire Sejas family. Kandra will be Logan’s chaperone for the tour, which runs through the end of May. “I will be homeschooling him during the day,” she noted. Logan, a fifth-grader at St. Rose of Lima in Franklin, happily reported that he will be in Miami for his 11th birthday on Jan. 5 – then suddenly realized he’ll be gone for another major event, too. “I can’t believe we won’t be home at Christmas,” he exclaimed. “What are we going to do?” But the rest of his family – his father, Dan, sister Gabbie, 8, and brother Corbin, 6 – won’t be far from him. Kandra explained that her husband’s job allows him to work from almost anywhere, so the family won’t have to be apart during the tour. They’ve purchased a large van that will allow Dan, Gabbie and Corbin to hit the road and meet up with Logan and Kandra along the way. There are more than 200 performances scheduled, including the ones May 1 through 3 in Indianapolis. “Logan is a fantastic young talent,” said Eddie Curry, artistic director at Beef & Boards. “His professionalism and maturity go far beyond his years. He makes strong character choices and listens and executes direction better than some adults I have worked with. The future is bright for this kid.” Logan and his mother head back to New York soon so he can begin the monthlong rehearsal process. “My mom said it’s going to be a whole year of adventure!” For more information on Beef and Boards go to www.beefandboards.com |
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