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 A FEW “THINKS” FROM THE AUTHORS

WHAT IS SEUSSICAL?

This is a new musical, based on the works of Dr. Seuss.  But it isn’t just a string of his stories set to music.  And it isn’t just one of his stories.  In fact, what we’ve done is to create a totally new, full-length book musical, with a story which weaves together his most famous tales and characters in unexpected ways.  The Seuss lexicon includes hundreds upon hundreds of wondrous characters, creatures, places, and things.  “Seussical” incorporates elements from at least 15 of his books, as well as many of his best-loved and most familiar characters.  Many of these characters never met one another before.  But they meet in our musical.  And in the course of the evening, some will fall in love, some will have desperate adventures, and some will save the world.  And they’ll all travel everywhere from the Jungle of Nool to McEligott’s Pool to Palm Beach.

Dr. Seuss believes in helping a friend, in not giving up, in keeping a promise.  He believes in the value and dignity of others, in working to preserve the fragile sweetness of the natural world, and he believes that peace is the ultimate ideal, among nations and in every heart.  He also believes in the pure power of the imagination.  You will find all these serious concerns at the heart of “Seussical.”

  AND A FEW FROM THE DIRECTOR

This group of teenagers continues to amaze me.  They are energetic and enthusiastic to the point of my occasional exhaustion!  Yet, somehow, as much as they can wear me out, I also find strength from them.  There are days I think about how nice it would be to go home after my day job, and crawl into a nice, warm, comfy couch with slippers and a TV remote, especially as winter approaches.  And then, mid-rehearsal, I find myself so engaged in the world they are creating for you, that I leave feeling productive and exhilarated.  When we toured the elementary schools last week, this knack for sparking excitement was seen just by simply noticing how much fun everyone was having - adults and children alike.

I tell everyone who asks (and even some who don't) how incredibly proud I am of each and every one of "my kids."  I am blessed to part of this experience.