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"Seussical" is whimsical musicalSaline Reporter When "Seussical, the Musical" opened on Broadway in November 2000, critics snubbed it and the show closed six months later. Which just goes to show you what snobbish New York theater critics know. Clearly, they have hearts three sizes too small or suffered through miserable childhoods. Because the "Seussical" now playing at the Croswell Opera House in Adrian is delightful, charming, endearing, and ebullient. With bright, imaginative costumes by Susan Eversden, clever and true-to-Seuss sets by veteran stage-crafter Don Wilson, and a talented engaging cast, "Seussical the Musical" is simply enchanting. Morphing together several of Dr. Seuss’ classic tales, Lynn Aherns and Stephen Flaherty have created a book and score that, while perhaps not offering the most involved plot, celebrate imagination, loyalty, trust, and fortitude. The plot draws primarily from Dr. Seuss’ "Horton Hears a Who" and "Horton Hatches an Egg," alternating between Horton’s Jungle of Nool and the teeny-tiny world of Who, on which young Who JoJo has gotten into some trouble for an over-active imagination. When big-hearted Horton the Elephant (played with heart-winning sincerity by Michael K. Lane) hears a Who cry out for help, he becomes the "biggest blame fool" in the Jungle of Nool because he refuses to abandon his belief that an entire world of Whos exists on a mere speck of dust. Enough cannot be said of Lane’s performance as Horton. Dressed in just gray sneakers, a gray sweatshirt, and a hat with earflaps, Lane exudes pachydermness and is simply outstanding. His voice is smooth and gentle and he captures Horton’s sweetness, innocence and resolve with the most beguiling expressions. On the other side of the innocent scale, is Damon Sloan, who puts in an equally stunning performance as the mischief-loving and manipulative Cat in the Hat, who serves as the story’s self-appointed narrator. Sloan, who last appeared in "Rumors" at the Croswell, may very well have been born to play the red-and-white top-hatted Cat. Reminiscent somehow of the actor Tim Curry, Sloan is charismatic, effusive, and bubbling with unpredictability. He is all that as the Cat. While Sloan and Lane deliver near-perfect performances, the show is bolstered even higher by strong performances from Joanne Eversden as sweet Gertrude McFuzz, who is angling for Horton’s attention, Jonathan Ross Crayne as JoJo, Cindy Eberhardt as Mayzie LaBird, and Terry Suchman as Sour Kangaroo. There is not a sour voice in the bunch. Director Erin Yuen has assembled an impressively talented cast and succeeded in bringing out the best in them. As three monkeys, the Wickersham Brothers, played by Jack Burgoon, Garry Palmer, and Jason Yuen, lead a strong ensemble cast that embraces the show’s exuberance. Although Aherns and Flaherty don’t really deliver any memorable numbers that continue to play in your head after leaving the theater, the music is fun and provides a range of styles, from the ballad "Alone in the Universe" to the salsa-style "Amazing Mayzie" to the jazzy "How Lucky You Are." The score is not helped by the show’s only weakness, which is that the orchestra tended to overpower the chorus numbers so that it too often proved difficult to hear the lyrics. Kids familiar with Dr. Seuss’s books (and who aren’t?) will love this show for its color, its parade of characters, its inventiveness, and energy. Adults, too, however, will rediscover quickly enough that kid inside who remembers the magical rhythms of Dr. Seuss and his wacky worlds of crazy names and oddly slanting trees. It is a world unlike any other and it is to be found on the stage of the Croswell Opera House. "Seussical, the Musical" runs Dec. 10-12, Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Sunday at 3 p.m. Tickets are $22 for regular admission and $20 for senior citizens and students, with special children's matinee prices of $15 for ages 13-18 and $10 for ages 12 and under. For tickets, call the Croswell at 264-7469 or go online at www.croswell.org. Damon Sloan portrays the Cat in the Hat, while Joanne Eversden is Gertrude McFuzz in the Croswell production of "Seussical, the Musical." |
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Croswell Opera House and Fine Arts Association • 129 E.
Maumee St, Adrian, MI 49221 • Phone: (517)264-SHOW • Fax: (517) 263-5130
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