Warrenville company brings Dr. Seuss characters to life in 'Seussical'

Horton the elephant, the Cat in the Hat and even the Whos from down in Whoville will visit Hubble Middle School in Warrenville this weekend, and not in the form of a movie, book or illustration.

Instead, the beloved Dr. Seuss characters will come to life in eight performances of the musical "Seussical" with a cast of more than 50 kids and adults from Acorn Community Theatre.

"It's going to be a fun experience," said David Wrobel, a volunteer for the theater and the father of a cast member. "When people come to see it, I think they're going to be really impressed, just with the venue and the orchestra and the whole thing."

The venue is a new 500-seat theater in the middle school, and the orchestra, made up of area musicians, is a first for an Acorn summer production.

Co-producer Jennifer Logan said the theater puts on three shows a year, but the summer musical is unique because it's family-oriented, with actors of all ages and the requirement that at least one parent helps out with any children involved in the show.

"We really try to get families' involvement to just bring the community together more and bring families together more," she said.

Logan also said she thinks theatergoers will appreciate the musical's plot, which features characters from more than 20 of Seuss' books.

"The whole theme of the show is 'a person's a person no matter how small,'" she said. "It really has a wonderful message."

During the performance audience members can expect "lots of colorful characters, lots of colorful costumes, songs, dancing" and plenty of rhyming during the Broadway-length show, Wrobel said.

Performances will run this weekend and July 15 to 17, and tickets are available in advance through the Warrenville Park District and online for a discounted price.

"You'll see a lot of good talent," Logan said. "It's fast-paced, colorful, fun. We encourage everyone to come and see it."