Seussical the Musical is an eccentric and exciting musical based on the works of Dr. Seuss. Seussical, written by Stephen Flaherty (CCM Alum) and Lynn Ahrens, tells the story of Horton, an elephant. He discovers a speck of dust that contains the Whos, including Jojo, a Who child sent off to military school for thinking too many “thinks.” Horton faces a double challenge: not only must he protect the Whos from a world of naysayers and dangers, but he must guard an abandoned egg, left in his care by the irresponsible Mayzie La Bird. Although Horton faces ridicule, danger, kidnapping, and a trial, the intrepid Gertrude McFuzz never loses faith in him. Ultimately, the powers of friendship, loyalty, family and community are challenged and emerge triumphant. This fantastical plot will be performed at the Patricia Corbett Theater later this month under the direction of Vince DeGeorge along with co-choreographer and senior Musical Theatre major, Christopher Kelley. I interviewed three members of the cast: senior Marissa Hecker (Mrs. Mayor), junior Jenny Mollet (Sour Kangaroo), and sophomore Ben Pimental (Yertle the Turtle), to get an inside scoop on the progress of the show. Check out their responses below!
Her Campus University of Cincinnati: Without giving too much away, what is your favorite part of the show?
Marissa Hecker: This may be the music nerd in me, but I really enjoy the “Alone In The Universe” reprise before “Solla Sollew”. The chord progressions are super angsty and dramatic: classic Steven Flaherty. Frankie Thams (Horton) does a great job of navigating the balance between realism and theatricality; I love watching him, especially in this specific moment.
Ben Pimental: Probably “The People Versus Horton The Elephant”; it was a lot of fun to put together.
Jenny Mollet: I think my favorite part of the show is when Horton and Jojo have finally discovered one another and establish an immediate friendship. It is such a beautiful and precious moment with the two of them and it is also a good example of how our imaginations are limitless which is one of the overarching themes in the show.
HCUC: Have your views on Dr. Seuss’ stories changed since being in Seussical?
MH: Of course, it’s been an eternity since I cracked open a Seuss story. I can definitely say that, at a young age, I didn’t fully comprehend the meaning behind the colorful pictures and entertaining rhymes.
BP: I’ve realized that they aren’t just nonsensical children’s books but actually contain powerful messages for the parents who read these stories to their kids as well.
JM: I definitely think my views on Seuss’ stories have changed since being in Seussical. Every kid and their mother has read the Seuss stories and they are of course enjoyable to read, but it wasn’t until I got into the show when I noticed how Dr. Seuss was brilliant with his writing. They have such humane qualities and hidden life lessons to be learned. It is not just all about the bright colors, the abstract characters, and the fun rhymes.
HCUC: What is your favorite Dr. Seuss story? Why?
MH: Go, Dog, Go! It’s beautifully simple and it was the first Seuss story I received as a child.
BP: Definitely There’s a Wocket in my Pocket, because the boy sees so many amazing things in the world around him.
JM: My favorite Dr. Seuss book is One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish. I read this book all the time when I was younger, especially before I went to bed with my father. So it holds a dear place in my heart. Even though this isn’t one of Seuss’s political books, it is still just a fun and lighthearted book to read which is something we all need at times.
HCUC: What can audiences look forward to?
MH: Audiences can look forward to our incredibly talented cast truly killing this hilarious and fun material. The vocals are outstanding, the scenic design is gorgeous, it’s gonna be a mind-blowing experience.
BP: A fun, high energy show that is extremely entertaining as well as touching and insightful.
JM: The audience should pretty much look forward to everything when seeing the show. The cast is incredibly talented and just the spectacle of it all (lights, costumes, sound, and more). But don’t let that cloud one’s judgement about the storytelling. I think we do such an amazing job at that and conveying our purpose and message about the show to the audience.
Seussical the Musical will play from October 19, 2017 to October 29, 2017 at the Patricia Corbett Theater. Check out the promotional video created by Kaelin Butts, a second year Communications and Electronic Media double major at the University of Cincinnati.
Get your tickets today here!
Sources: http://www.mtishows.com/seussical
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