Cat earns stripes in ‘Seussical’ musical
By Trish Cofiell—Delco Times
11/30/2005
Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You’re Off to Great Places!
You’re off to See a Great Play!
That play is "Seussical," a charming, uplifting holiday romp guaranteed to entertain all ages with its vibrancy, wit and sweet message of friendship and loyalty.
"Seussical" opened Friday and runs right through the holidays, to Jan. 1, on a brightly decorated stage at the Media Theatre.
"Seussical," the musical, brings to life the rhyming tales and quirky characters of Theodor Geisel, aka Dr. Seuss.
With a wacky, charismatic Bradley Reynolds leading the cast as the Cat in the Hat, a wonderful acting troupe leads the audience through the Jungle of Nool, to the Circus McGurkus, and off to Whoville.
When "Seussical" had its brief run on Broadway, the show initially flopped like a wet hairball. Critics claimed the musical tried to pack too many Seuss stories into one confusing show, and that the creators couldn’t decide if their target audience was adults or children -- so the focus was Mayzie-hazy.
Producers tried Rosie O’Donnell and Cathy Rigby in the lead as the Cat in the Hat, but the show never caught on at the box office, and eventually closed as a commercial flop.
But it turns out the Cat has another life under his stovepipe hat, thanks to regional theaters like Media, which can give "Seussical" the treatment it deserves, only on a smaller, more intimate scale.
First off, this is NOT just a "children’s play." Sure, youngsters will be riveted by the vibrant dancing, catchy songs and whimsical costumes, but some of the play’s clever dialogue and subtle messages will be lost on pre-schoolers.
Baby boomers who grew up on "green eggs and ham" will not only relate to their favorite characters and poems, but they will love the Cat’s clever repartee and the show’s subtle jabs at war, thoughtless conformity, "dysfunctional" parents, bullies and irresponsibility.
Oh..and there’s a sweet love story.
Even jaded teenagers will find plenty to like in the jazzy music, hip choreography (with the biker-clad Wickersham Brothers) and the Cat’s biting asides.
Speaking of the cat, Bradley Reynolds is hilarious and captivating as that troublesome Cat. It was almost as if Paul Lynde, the snide comic who mastered the center square on "Hollywood Squares," was reincarnated on stage.
Reynolds’ wacky facial expressions, lithe dance moves, shoulder shrugs, broad gestures, verbal barbs and audience interaction all elevate the show ..steal the show ..and make the show just plain funny.
Most important, Reynolds is articulate, and as the show’s tour guide, it’s vital that you can follow his rhyming discourse.
"Seussical" does have a story, even though that story is an excuse to bring all of these Seuss characters together on one stage. "Seussical" follows two of Seuss’ great stories, "Horton Hears a Who" and "Horton Hatches the Egg."
Arthur Ryan does a fine job playing Horton the elephant, the self-sacrificing pachyderm who notices a faint cry from a speck of dust and discovers the tiny Whos living in Whoville, on that speck of dust, clinging to a clover.
His fellow jungle dwellers think he’s nuts and taunt him, but Horton promises the Whos, especially young Jo-Jo, that he will protect them. After all, as Horton sings, "A person’s a person, no matter how small."
While trying to help the Whos, Horton is also duped into baby-sitting the egg of a selfish, sexpot bird named Mayzie. And he’s pursued by the lovesick bird, Gertrude McFuzz.
Even the green, pot-bellied Grinch is shoehorned into the plot, as he prepares for Christmas with the tiny, yellow-clad Whos.
All of the animal characters are cleverly dressed as humans, as they were on Broadway, which stresses their human qualities while subtle touches remind us they are raucous monkeys, flighty birds, a mouthy kangaroo, a judicious turtle and a big-hearted elephant.
The scenery, by Thom Bumblauskas, is a visual feast that looks like the page of a Seuss book, with giant red and yellow dots, a bouncy jungle gym, the yellow-tinged town of Whoville, a silly bathtub that becomes "McElligot’s Pool" and a backdrop that changes hues at Jo-Jo’s whim.
While Reynolds is the ringmaster, ad-libbing with audience members, other standouts include Heather Barr as Horton’s sweet admirer Gertrude McFuzz (she played this role on the national tour) and Jenny Lee Ramos, tramping it up as the sexy Mayzie LaBird, executing some limber Latin dance moves. Both "birds" have a great set of pipes.
Also delivering quality performances were Daniel Stanton as the clueless Mayor of Whoville and Nina Donze as his wife. Parents in the audience will no doubt relate to their lament about "How To Raise a Child."
And Amanda Brizzi, Colleen Hazlet and Sarah Gliko were dynamite as the three Bird Girls in a Supremes-style chorus line.
Arthur Ryan conveyed real warmth and tenderness as Horton, Mason Quilty was a likeable Jo-Jo, and Ryan has a lovely voice, nailing his solos.
The entire cast delivers this tale with flair and some local kids shine as the Whos of Whoville.
"Seussical" isn’t thought-provoking Pulitzer Prize material, but it’s sweet and uplifting in so many ways. It makes for an enchanting holiday outing for Delaware County families.
The musical score -- by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens -- is loaded with peppy company numbers that include upbeat pop tunes with touching ballads like "Alone in the Universe."
And, finally, when holiday stress gets you down, the tree’s not trimmed, and the bills abound -- the Cat in the Hat will remind you all just "how lucky you are."