Noah Moody is back at the helm of the See, Play, Perform Podcast, brought to you by Treasure Valley Children's Theater. This week he's joined by two cast members of the upcoming production of High School Musical Junior: the delightful Ellie and Abby. And yes, things get wonderfully weird right from the jump.

Before any serious conversation can happen, our guests are thrown headfirst into an improv icebreaker game that produces a loudly-shushing librarian, an old-timey sheriff who's very tired of teenagers, and a Colonel Sanders with absolutely zero chicken left to sell. You know, normal podcast stuff.

Once the chaos settles (slightly), Noah digs into the good stuff. We find out Ellie is a 10-year TVCT veteran who first stepped on stage as Dorothy in Wizard of Oz at the ripe age of five, and Abby - currently in her seventh year with the company - got hooked after a summer camp production of Schoolhouse Rock post-Covid. Both are buzzing with energy as opening night for High School Musical Junior approaches, and they've got their sights set on auditioning for Aladdin at Boise Little Theater this summer too.

The conversation winds through memorable TVCT moments (shoutout to a chaotic Puffs costume change involving inside-out pants and a very frazzled stage manager named Liam), life outside the theater (Ellie longboards to Jackson's for sloshes; Abby is currently ripping through books so fast she doesn't even remember their titles), and the very real phenomenon of typecasting. Ellie keeps getting cast as young-but-maternal characters, while Abby has fully embraced being "the dumb one" and honestly seems fine about it.

Future dreams? Broadway, obviously. NYU, maybe. Forensic scientist or cosmetologist as backup options. Abby's dad Steve apparently wants to write an accounting musical, which is either brilliant or deeply concerning.

The episode wraps up with a dramatic readings game that forces everyone to perform voice-acting scripts as absurd characters. A documentary narrated by Gandalf, a children's reading app advertised by a furious radio DJ, and a troll who is extremely excited to tell you about Big Ben. All three are immediately offered imaginary jobs.

It's funny, heartfelt, and proof that theater kids are simply built different. Don't miss it.

🎬 High School Musical Jr. Show Sponsors:

Treasure Valley Children's Theater is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit empowering youth through performance-based theater arts. Learn more at treasurevalleychildrenstheater.com

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0:00 - Welcome & Sponsors

🎭 Welcome to Episode 3 of the See Play Perform Podcast, presented by Treasure Valley Children's Theater!

This week, host Noah Moody sits down with Dayson and Kendall — the dynamic duo playing Troy and Gabriella in TVCT's upcoming production of Disney's High School Musical Junior, opening April 17th! 🌟

We're talking first auditions, hidden talents, dream musicals, acting inspirations, and life as a high schooler juggling school AND the spotlight. Plus, things get wonderfully chaotic when Dayson and Kendall take on a Dramatic Reading Challenge featuring brownie mix instructions, chili-roasted pistachios, and some very committed character work. 🏴‍☠️🤧

And yes! They close the episode out with a live performance of "Start of Something New." You'll want to stick around for that one. 🎵

🎟️ Tickets on sale NOW! at treasurevalleychildrenstheater.com

🙏 Thank you to our 2026 Season Sponsors:

🎬 High School Musical Jr. Show Sponsors:

Treasure Valley Children's Theater is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit empowering youth through performance-based theater arts. Learn more at treasurevalleychildrenstheater.com

Chapters: 

Good morrow, dear friends, and welcome back to See Play Perform, the podcast presented by Treasure Valley Children's Theater!

In Episode 2, host Noah Moody sits down fresh from rehearsal with three talented cast members from TVCT's upcoming production of Disney's High School Musical Jr. - Paisley (Sharpay), Riley (Jack Scott), and Liam (Coach Bolton). These three aren't new to the stage, you may recognize them from last fall's Robin Hood, and they bring all the energy, chaos, and charm you'd expect from a Saturday rehearsal day.

We kick things off with a rousing round of "Well, Well, Well, If It Isn't…" - an improv icebreaker that goes wildly off the rails in the best possible way (featuring a singing garbage man, a hysterical bride, and a third-grade teacher nobody asked for). Then we dive into the Podcast Questionnaire, where the gang shares their dream roles (Dot from Sunday in the Park with George, Damien from Mean Girls, SpongeBob from The SpongeBob Musical - yes, really), which movies they'd turn into musicals, and the most mortifying things that have ever happened to them on stage. Spoiler: baby Jesus fell out of someone's dress.

Then things get theatrical. Noah puts each cast member on the spot with a dramatic cold reading challenge. Riley delivers a nursey rhyme as if it's a calm spring day... and then as scary as humanly possible. Liam tackles the Dagger Speech from Macbeth as if the entire hallucination is just a massive inconvenience. And Paisley channels a mean third-grade teacher like she was born for it.

Along the way, the group gets into what makes High School Musical actually kind of great, why Noah was angry at himself for enjoying it, and the powerful reminder - straight from the cast - that theater isn't just about performing. It's about trying new things, finding yourself, drinking your water, and not sticking to the status quo.

High School Musical Jr. opens April 17th at Treasure Valley Children's Theater. Tickets are on sale now at treasurevalleychildrenstheater.com.

This podcast is fully funded by community support. Treasure Valley Children's Theater is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with the mission to empower youth and inspire future innovators, entrepreneurs, creators, humanitarians, and artists through performance-based theater arts programs.

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The curtain rises on Episode 1 of See Play Perform, the official podcast of Treasure Valley Children's Theater! 🎉 Host Noah Moody is joined by two hilarious student guests - Preston and Ash - for improv games, big dreams, Shakespeare performed while grossed out, and a scary story that takes a very unexpected turn. Whether you're a student, a theater parent, or just someone who wants to laugh, this episode is your backstage pass to the wonderful chaos of kids doing theater. Break a leg, everyone, we're just getting started!

Chapters

0:00 — Welcome to See Play Perform! 🎭