Past Shows: Seussical the Musical

Written by Lynn Ahren, Stephen Flaherty, and Eric Idle
Producers Charlie Lawson and Linda Petzke
Directed by Morgan Alberts Smith
Music and Co-Director Patrick Smith
Choreographer Jamie Lea Cook

Dr. Seuss honored in area schools - click here

Seussian good time at The Great WVPT TV Auction - Click for pics

Check out this website celebrating Dr. Seuss: http://www.seussville.com

The Cat and JoJo

Gertude McFuzz & Horton the Elephant

JoJo's discussion with The Cat in the Hat

Sour Kangaroo and the Citizens of the Jungle

The Cat in the Hat Recap

The Citizens of Whoville

Horton on trial

The Cat addressing the Jungle Citizens

The Grinch at Christmas in Whoville

The Finale

Seuss!!

Barbara Lawson Goin' Wild	Sandi Belcher in action

Story Time with the Cast of Seussical!

COMPLETE Cast List

The Cat in the Hat ... Brian Holsopple
The mischievous character from Dr. Seuss' most famous books, The Cat in the Hat and The Cat in the Hat Comes Back, is the narrator for Seussical. The Cat fills in with commentary throughout the tale being told as well as being an integral part of the storyline.

JoJo ... Alice Piepenburg

Horton the Elephant ... Bob Wright
The storyline of Horton Hears a Who and Horton Hatches an Egg are the basis of Seussical. Horton is a somewhat misunderstood and often considered slow-witted animal whose heart is as big as he is.

Gertrude McFuzz ... Sandi Belcher
Gertrude, although just a small character from the book Yertle the Turtle and Other Stories, plays a major role in Seussical. The audience experiences her trials and tribulations of living with what she considers a handicap (a one feathered tail) and her unrequited love of Horton.

Mayzie Labird ... Diane Heavner
True to her independent and vivacious character in Horton Hatches an Egg, Mayzie slinks across stage in many show stealing numbers.

Sour Kangaroo ... Barbara Spilman Lawson
This kangaroo fits her name. This sour mother makes sure to voice her erroneous opinions to all who are willing to listen -- and even to some who aren't!

General Genghis Khan Schmitz ... Nancy Houseknecht
Wickersham Brothers ... Joe Artz, Chris Martin & Chris Moneymaker
Bird Girls ... Jami Lea Cook, Lyndsay Tolbert, Cookie Wright & Sarah Benkendorf
Mr. & Mrs. Mayor ... David Lee Thompson and Sarah Fauber
Dr. Drake's Nurse ... Jennifer Vaughan
Vlad Vladikoff - An Eagle ... Joe Bruce
Hunters ... Carrie Meyer, Rachel Smathers
Grinch/Yertle the Turtle ... Duane Hahn
Cindy Lou Who ... Donna Rousseau
Circus Animals ... Cindy Cavanaugh, Donna Rousseau & Jennifer Vaughan
Who Citizens ... Sarah Benkendorf, Emily Maddox, Carrie Meyer & Rachel Smathers
Who Cadets ... Victoria Hansell, Emily Maddox, & Rachel Smathers
Fish ... Cindy Cavanaugh, Emily Maddox, & Carrie Meyer
Hunches ... Sarah Benkendorf, Joe Bruce, Cindy Cavanaugh & Emily Maddox
Citizens of the Jungle ... Cindy Cavanaugh, Victoria Hansell & Jennifer Vaughan

The Crew
Director ... Morgan Alberts Smith
Executive Director ... Patrick Smith
Musical Director ... Gabrielle F. Bergeret
Producers ... Charlie Lawson, Linda Petzke
Choreographer ... Jami Lea Cook
Stage Manager ... Natalie Tasillo
Assistant to the Director ... Ashley Barksdale
Assistant Stage Manager ... Victoria Ray
Set Design and Realization ... Jennifer Vaughan
Set Construction ... Bill & Linda Alberts, Jim Belcher, Clifford Cempe, Jami Lea Cook,
Jim Hall, Charlie Lawson, Morgan & Patrick Smith, Jennifer Vaughan
Set Crew ... Sandi Belcher, Mandi Bishop-Mann, Lindsey Cooper, Dana Durham, Sarah Fauber, Victoria Hansell, Kate Harrington, Diane Heavner, Jenni Lawson, Chris Moneymaker, Kate Ogletree, Logan Quesenbery, Lyndsay Tolbert, Bill & Pat Vaughan, Karen Vaughan, Scott Woofter
Publicity ... Sandi Belcher
Hair / Makeup Design ... Becky Price
Hair / Makeup Crew ... Katie Lukhart, Brianna Teerlink, Trisha Vaughan, Mary Lee Akers, Shirley Day, Michelle Jenkins, Mary Moses
Properties ... Jean Morgan
Lighting Design ... Michael Lafferty
Light Board Operator ... Amy Barden
Costume Design ... Susan M. Polly
Sound ... Craig Cavanaugh
Asst. Costume Design ... Amey Wheaton
Costumes ... Bev Kiser, Bev Riddell, Mickey Shook, Jeanne Tabscott, Eleanor Hamme, Diane Ray
Dresser ... Brianna Teerlink
Lobby Design ... Morgan Alberts Smith, Monet Watkins
Program ... Gretchen Newman
 

Orchestra Personnel
Rehearsal Accompanists ... Dana Durhan, Sarah Fauber
Piano ... Don Roe
Guitar ... Jon Hoy
Drums ... Randy Hypes
Keyboard ... Dana Durham
Bass ... Dennis Hutchens
Additional Musicians ... Don Aittama, Diane Harrington

Synopsis

Horton the Elephant begins the tale when he is bathing in the Jungle of Nool and hears a tiny sound. He discovers the population of Whoville on a speck of dust. The Sour Kangaroo and the Wickersham Brothers think Horton is crazy for trying to protect a dust speck. Next, we see the microscopic Whos. They express their gratitude to Horton for saving them from certain destruction by placing them gently on a clover which he carries around with his trunk.

Horton is introduced to Jojo, son of the Mayor and Mrs. Mayor. Jojo is always getting in trouble in school for thinking too much and too individually. The Cat in the Hat and his helpers appear to Jojo as he waits for his parents to return from their parent-teacher meeting. The audience sees the imaginative tricks the Cat’s gang can perform when unhindered by adult constraints. They encourage Jojo’s original and creative thinking. Then Jojo’s parents return. Jojo’s parents inform him that he’s been suspended for thinking he saw zebras on Mulberry Street and for his startling ideas. His parents scold him and implore him to think less. Jojo is discouraged and promises to try to suppress his imagination. However, while Jojo is sitting in the bathtub, his mind catches fire again, and he imagines magical fish swimming in McElligot’s Pool. He concludes that "Anything Is Possible!" Then he’s off on another daydream in which his tub travels along a highway before it sails down a river toward the sea.

A knock at the bathroom door brings Jojo back to reality and the tub. Mr. and Mrs. Mayor wonder how they can make Jojo more like other children. They read a brochure and prepare to send Jojo to a military boarding school. General Genghis Kahn Schmitz, a cruel and unyielding man, directs the school for "shirkers, dreamers, and twits." Drills, fighting, and blind obedience are the order of the day. Schmitz prides himself on turning out clones of what he believes boys should be--tough and unimaginative youngsters who obey every arbitrary command and fight enthusiastically. Schmitz and his army of boys will annihilate all dissent. The troops march off to a Green Eggs and Ham cadence.

Jojo’s predicament relates to Horton’s plight. Both JoJo and Horton suffer for thinking differently from their peers. Jojo is punished for his thoughts and opinions, his "coloring outside the lines." Horton is ridiculed for trying to protect the Whos, whom no one else can hear or see. The duet "Alone in the Universe" celebrates their mutual outlook and the possibility of their becoming friends. Gertrude McFuzz appears, complaining because she has only one feather in her tail. Mayzie LaBird and her Bird Girls give Gertrude the name of a doctor who can supply a pillberry to make her tail lush and full of feathers. The doctor cannot dissuade Gertrude, so he gives her the pills, and the tail starts to grow. Gertrude is delighted, and swallows too many pillberries.

Meanwhile, the Wickersham Brothers and the Sour Kangaroo find Horton still holding his clover containing the people of Whoville. Determined to undermine his efforts to save the Whos, the Wickersham Brothers steal the plant and hand it to an eagle, who drops it in a field of clover where it disappears. Though things could hardly be worse, the Cat in the Hat appears and advises the audience to "Tell yourself how lucky you are!" As Horton looks for the Who’s clover in the enormous field, Gertrude, attracted by his kindness, tries to get him to notice her.

Mayzie calls to Horton and explains why she is sitting on a nest. She asks Horton to sit on her egg while she takes a short break. He reluctantly agrees, postponing his search for the clover and his friends in Whoville. Horton winds up sitting on Mayzie’s nest all winter. Gertrude brings him warm clothing. Despondent over his promise to Mayzie and his loss of the clover, Horton is caught by hunters. Although she wants to help him, Gertrude can’t because her long tail prevents her from flying. She realizes the foolish result of her vanity. Whoville is in total disarray from being dropped.

Horton is sold to a circus, where he is exhibited sitting on Mayzie’s egg while Mayzie lolls on the beach. Jojo is in his own circus of robot-like cadets, brainwashed by General Genghis Kahn Schmitz. Jojo dreams of a time when he could act according to his beliefs. Once more Horton and Jojo sing of their desire to live and let live in a world of peace and kindness. Jojo is at the front in the war between those who butter their bread butter-side-up and those who prefer it butter-side-down. He stands up to Schmitz, tells him the war is foolish, and runs away. Schmitz thinks Jojo has been killed in an explosion.

Despite the damage to Whoville, the citizens celebrate Christmas with the Grinch, who has discovered that the true meaning of the holiday can’t be bought and packaged. Mr. and Mrs. Mayor think their son Jojo is off at school, but he has run away. General Genghis Khan Schmitz and his troops believe he’s dead. Jojo calls for help from Horton. The elephant declares his admiration for Jojo’s independence and courage. Obeying Horton’s advice, Jojo follows his Hunches home to Whoville. He is welcomed warmly by his parents.

Meanwhile, Gertrude McFuzz also follows her instincts to locate Horton. Inspired by her love, she has removed her excess tail feathers, enabling her to fly again, found the clover containing Whoville, and survived harrowing adventures. When she finally reaches her friend, she confesses she cares for him and gives him the clover containing the Whos. Jojo returns to his family. His shouted "Yopp" enables the Whos to prove their existence to the jury judging Horton’s sanity, and Horton is acquitted! The Sour Kangaroo joins Horton as the Who’s protector. Mayzie’s egg hatches and produces an elephant bird. Gertrude and Horton will use their different abilities to act as its parents. The entire cast celebrates by singing "Oh, The Thinks You Can Think!"