Schaumburg High School stages 'Seussical'
“The color jumps off the stage!
That was how one of the set supervisors, Jim Gurga, described seeing the first dress rehearsal for “Seussical, the Musical, opening today at Schaumburg High School.
With its vibrant costumes, set design and even stage painted in whirls of color reminiscent of the Dr. Seuss book, “Oh, the Places You'll Go, the auditorium seems to come alive with the whimsical storybook characters.
This is the first time Schaumburg High School has mounted the former Broadway musical that is an amalgamation of some of Seuss' most famous books. They feel the production captures the joyful feel of the school's 40th anniversary celebration.
Schaumburg's production team received technical and costume support from a supporting cast that includes the Marriott Lincolnshire, Christian Youth Theatre Company and Broadway Costumes of Chicago.
Beyond the vibrant costumes, those groups also lent support with some of the moving set pieces that help dramatize the scenes.
“We had to get it just right, says choral director Tim McGlynn. “Dr. Seuss books are so iconic that everyone knows them. If we didn't get it right, people would notice.
Senior Ian Shaw plays the Cat in the Hat, who serves as narrator in the show. After playing more conventional leads in “Bye, Bye Birdie, “Fiddler on the Roof and “West Side Story, he gets to try his hand at comedy, literally singing and dancing his way across the stage.
“After all those years being stuck on a page, did you ever imagine you'd see me on stage, he asks the audience at the outset. “There's no telling what might ensue, with a cat such as me, and thinkers like you.
The play loosely follows the storyline from another of Seuss' famous books, “Horton Hears a Who. In this version, senior Ryan Wenzel plays Horton, who naively finds himself in all sorts of predicaments.
“You'll recognize some of the classic storylines from some Dr. Seuss books, but there's a lot that's different, Wenzel says. “It's just fun. Kids will love it.
Kids have been at the center of the production since rehearsals began. Not just on stage, but behind it and beneath it.
More than 30 students cram into its pit orchestra, located just beneath the front of the stage. They perform under the direction of band director Kevin Miller and literally drive the action on stage with their beat.
The opening scene demonstrates that, as all 55 cast members filter in and eventually fill the stage.
“It's all timed to the music, McGlynn adds. “We've been working really hard on it. The entrances and exits can get pretty tricky.
Another 15 students worked on the technical crew, building the set and painting its backdrop and the stage. Literally, they spent an entire day painting the stage floor, which they will paint over in black once the play closes.
“We chalked it out and then kids started painting, says junior stage manager Dustin Druckman of Schaumburg. “We finished the back wall last. We want it to be one big scene, from floor to ceiling.
Mounting “Seussical is a first for veteran director McGlynn, but not for choreographer Kerrie Noah, who also teaches math at the school. She helped produce it with Schaumburg on Stage at the Prairie Center for the Arts and she knew of its visual and musical appeal.
It didn't take much to convince McGlynn, who admittedly liked the idea of doing a musical that featured nearly all singing. But once he saw it come alive in color even he was blown away.
“It's gonna be nuts, he said.
Details on musicl
What: “Seussical, the Musical, the one-act Theatre for Young Audience version, lasting 90 minutes with no intermission
When: 7 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Oct. 14-16
Where: Schaumburg High School auditorium, 1100 W. Schaumburg Road
Cost: $10 for adults, $8 for students
Information: shs.d211.org/music/choir.html or on Facebook at Seussical at SHS.