"SEUSSICAL, THE MUSICAL!"
A musical perfect for the whole family, Seussical takes us into the world of Dr. Seuss, where we revisit beloved characters including The Cat in the Hat, Horton the Elephant, Gertrude McFuzz, Lazy Mayzie, and JoJo.
The Cat in the Hat guides us into The Jungle of Nool where we see Horton, the kind hearted elephant who discovers a speck of dust containing Whoville. He meets JoJo, a Who child sent to military school for thinking too many “thinks.”
Horton decides he must protect the speck of dust on a nearby clover, while at the same time protecting an abandoned egg left to his care by the lazy Mayzie la Bird. Horton tries to convince the other animals in The Jungle of the existence of the Whos, but he is ridiculed and put on trial for insanity.
Only his loyal neighbor, Gertrude McFuzz, never loses faith in him. Eventually, the two fall in love. Now one of the most widely produced musicals in the country, Seussical weaves a story of friendship, loyalty and love.
Despite all odds, Horton and Gertrude band together to save the Whos, free Horton, and restore peace and unity to the Jungle of Nool. Charming Seussical teaches us the power of being unique, and the importance of fighting for your beliefs.
The Director
In 1984, Theodor Seuss Geisel (the Doctor) won the Pulitzer Prize for his contribution to the education and enjoyment of America's children and their parents for nearly half a century. Dr. Seuss’ uncanny ability to play with rhyme and to shape sounds into new words has ignited the imagination of readers at every age. We connect with his characters through that word play and they transport us to fantastical worlds such as Solla Sollew, the Jungle of Nool, and Whoville, each full of new possibilities and sometimes peril. In Whoville, we are introduced to a microscopic race that is on the brink of annihilation due to the unforeseen consequences of cutting down the Truffula trees. In addition to the geological danger, they also face internal threats from the likes of General Gengis Khan Schmitz who trains boys to be men by conditioning imaginative thinkers, like Jojo, to think “inside the box” and conform to accepted social values. Their only hope is Horton, the unlikeliest of heroes, whose commitment to saving the Whos brands him as foolish and crazy by his fellow jungle creatures as no one but Horton can hear the invisible voices coming from the “speck of dust” (Whoville). Ultimately it is the power of imagination, to believe in unseen dimensions and possibilities, that literally gives birth to the solution at the play's end, restoring order and purpose to the Seuss-iverse. Brand new "thinks" are instrinsic to creativity and represent the best of what we are and what we may be, our potential to be creative beings. If we have the courage to trust in our imaginations and the audacity to remain steadfast in our core values, then we will, as Horton and Jojo do, find our place in the universe. I am eternally thankful to have had the opportunity to work with such a magnificently creative group of students, colleagues and parents. Through our many journies together you have all helped me to find my place here at Union Mine.
Oh, the places we'll go!
Ryan Pullen
