Whether you have children or just want to get in touch with your inner child, “Seussical the Musical” is as fun as it sounds.
The all-volunteer cast and crew of Draper Historic Theatre has worked hard on this feature-and it shows.
Directed by Jake Andersen, an 18-year veteran actor, and choreographed by Erin Sacks, a Broadway regular of numerous performances, “Seussical” is a crazy compilation of dozens of favorite Dr. Seuss characters, and even some new ones. You’ll see Yertle the Turtle, Horton the Elephant, Whos and everyone’s favorite Christmas-spoiler-turned-nice, the Grinch.
And the moral of the story is simple: “A person’s a person, no matter how small.”
JoJo is a child who may be responsible for everything we see on stage, as the plot rattles through her imagination and splashes out to fill our view. She is scolded for thinking too many outrageous “thinks,” but this doesn’t stop her.
The Cat, in his trademark Hat, scampers through scenes as a narrative thread, keeping the imaginative chaos cohesive. Sometimes, he slips into the action to move things along, but often he is part of the background or of JoJo’s dream. The Cat in the Hat is of no help to her, however-causing more mischief than not-but without him, the play would be lacking in both texture and length.
At the Draper Historic Theatre, producers aim to provide affordable family entertainment-and this show certainly fits the bill. Funny songs and vibrant, homemade costumes fill the small stage with a big show and a small-town feel. The show comes alive with both seasoned performers and some first-timers getting a taste of the stage, but experience isn’t an issue: Dr. Seuss is simply easy to love, and this production is, too.
Horton the Elephant is sitting on an egg for the bird that ditched it in Draper Historic Theatre’s production of “Seussical the Musical.”