Seussical @ CenterStage Theatreworks (Plano)
—Jan Farrington
There’s Elephant Horton, the Cat in the Hat,
The Whos down in Whoville—how super is that!
With Gertrude, and Mayzie, and Things One Two (Three?)
Not a moment onstage without something to see!
OK, yes. I quite enjoyed CenterStage Theatreworks’ endearing production of Seussical, a mash-up of many favorite tales by the great Theodor Geisel (aka Dr. Seuss). There are more than two dozen lively, funny, and touching songs in this show (every one in bouncy Seuss rhymes). They’re the creations of Tony Award winners Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty (Once on This Island, Ragtime), who premiered Seussical on Broadway in 2000 to mixed reviews; it’s since become an audience favorite across the country.
CenterStage is double-casting many of the roles (and requiring masks, in hopes of safely getting everyone through the run), so it’s hard to predict if you’ll see the same actors I did. But the talent level was quite high among the singer/actors; chances are you’ll be happy with the group you get. If you, or your kids, would enjoy being “interactive” with the cast, talk someone into first-row seats. It’ll be fun.
Director Charlotte Taylor pulls plenty of heart and energy from her cast, who range in age from pre-teens to adults. Choreography (lots of fun dancing!) is credited to a trio: Regan Ellis, Sarah Hendrick, and Noel Nieczyporowicz. Costumer Alison Kingwell and her crew supply oodles of colorful costumes (the Bird Girls’ tropical colors and feathered tails are eye-catching), and some groups come color-coded: the Whos are recognizable by their lively blacks and whites: stripes, dots, florals, and psychedelia. The stage design is really a series of moveable pieces: a colorful box for the Cat, a tree/tower for Horton and his Egg, a school of magical sea creatures (and sea scooters?) swimming across the stage—and the pink puff that holds the whole, tiny world of the Whos, contained in a speck of dust.
“A person’s a person, no matter how small.”
Young Chloe Stovall is sweet-voiced and engaging as Jojo, child of Whoville’s tiny Mayor andMrs. (played with amusing dignity by Quinton Coulonge and Jamie Gutzler). Jojo’s meet-up with the brainy Cat in the Hat (bright-eyed and mischievous Grace Everett, trailed by minions—Thing One played by Lorien Lovell; Thing Two by Aurora Field) gives her the courage to “think some new thinks” about how she might save her planet from literally being blown away. A shout-out to Horton (ironically, the huge elephant is the first to hear her tiny call) buys them some time and protection—but when Horton is conned into taking on another “rescue,” there could be trouble. Can he sit on the egg left by lazy-bird Mayzie (Emilia Ordonez) AND protect the Whos?
At my performance, Brian Sullivan made a great Horton, soft-spoken and gentle, with a true, quiet singing style somewhere between Mister Rogers and Bob Newhart. (Did Bob ever sing?). Any-Who, it was just right—and Sullivan’s Horton was the beating heart of the show.
As the plot unfolds, there are plenty of characters to disturb the peace—notably the Sour Kangaroo and her young one, who mock Horton for believing he’s getting messages from a dust-speck-sized planet. Hannah Swaim (as the SK) belts out her scorn in a terrific, jazzy voice, and her little Mini-Me (cute Alice Sullivan) waves in disapproval.
Literally up a tree, Horton loses the puff to a gang of monkeys, the Wickersham brothers, who hand it off to a biker-looking eagle, brooding Vlad Vladikoff (Brandon Carnes), who’s surely up to no good. A cocked-hat general (Riley Frauenheim is pompously funny) rushes around trying to start a Butter Battle. And all the while, Gertrude McFuzz (bouncy and charming Brooke Riley) is trying everything to get Horton to notice her, even gulping pills to get her droopy one-feather tail to grow.
And that’s just part of the busy plot—but the children I saw (and their parents) were having agrand time. I can’t say I’ll remember the songs for long, but it was great fun sorting out all the quick Seuss-ian rhymes of the lyrics—and the show’s message of respect for all creatures—and being an independent thinker—is one to take home:
JOJO:
I’ve got brains in my head
And feet in my shoes
CAT & ALL:
So steer yourself any direction you choose!
WHEN: Through July 30
WHERE: Cox Playhouse, Plano
WEB: cstheatreworks.com
