'Seussical' comes to Sugar Grove
This weekend's production of “Seussical” marks the first pairing of Waubonsee Community College, where the show will be produced, and Avenue J Studios, a performing arts education center in Elburn.
The show opens Friday, Feb. 20, and runs through Sunday, Feb. 22, on the Sugar Grove campus.
“It's the first endeavor of its kind at Waubonsee where we're combining effort to create a community theater program,” said director Kat Balin of Elgin. “(We're) hoping it will be a success and encourage future production that will give opportunities with local performers and college students.”
Avenue J's owner and managing director, Jennifer Madziarczyk, who opened the studio last year, initially visited the college to ask about the availability of the theater for productions for her studio and was met with interest in a collaboration.
“So we tried one show to see what the community response was,” Madziarczyk said. “We wanted something family-friendly.”
“Seussical” was chosen, a musical first produced on Broadway in 2000 and based on the stories of Theodor Geisel, Dr. Seuss.
“It appeals to a bunch of people,” said Madziarczyk. “Everybody can relate to Dr. Seuss. The messages are positive: learning to accept everyone for who they are, accepting and celebrating differences.”
Many of the Dr. Seuss's characters appear in the play including The Grinch and the people of Whoville, Horton the Elephant, Yertle the Turtle and the Cat in the Hat, as well as others.
“It's a story that combines many elements of many Seuss stories combined into one,” said Balin. “It combines 'Horton Hears a Who' and 'Horton Hatches an Egg.' The Cat in the Hat is a major factor. All of the Whos and the Grinch story is in there and they are all woven together in a through line. It's not just a vignette. It's created by combining all of the different elements into one.”
It involves Jojo, the little boy from “The Cat in the Hat” and what goes on in his imagination, as narrated by the Cat in the Hat. There is very little dialogue and most of it is spoken in rhyme before the songs.
“Memorizing the rhymes have been the most difficult. You really have to be sure that you know them or they don't make sense,” said Aaron Gomez of Lake in the Hills, who plays Horton the Elephant. “It's almost all music but with rhyming dialogue that goes into the music.”
Gomez came to the audition with only Horton as his aspiration and he won the part.
“I only wanted Horton,” Gomez said. “I personally relate to Horton, so it's always been a role that I wanted to play because it's close to my heart. He's a loving character and just wants to have friends.”
When Gomez heard the production was still missing The Cat in the Hat, he alerted his friend Daren Walsh, who auditioned and won the part.
“He's a character that fits my personality, very mischievous,” Walsh said. “He doesn't stick to the script and does whatever I want. I'm trying to keep it fresh and funny. It's a lot of improv and you have to keep the audience laughing.”
The character also narrates the story.
“Nobody (in the play) can see me,” Walsh said. “I just narrate the show and Jojo can see me. Wherever his imagination takes him I have to go. There's a lot of jumping and running around and throwing things,” Walsh said.
As fun as the show is, it's not without its challenges, costumes in particular.
“This show has a lot of costume changes so we've had to be creative with the costumes,” Madziarczyk said.
“Our costuming is human with animal elements,” Balin said. “Birds aren't birds but they're like Vegas show girls in that they have feathers on their costumes to indicate what they are. Horton the elephant isn't wearing giant ears, he's all gray with a hat that covers his ears.”
Although Dr. Seuss aimed his stories at children, the musical is not exclusively meant for the younger set.
“You take something different away from it,” Balin said. “If you're young, you're going to love the bright colors and the fun music. A preschool age will appreciate it in a different way than an adult. As you get older, you'll recognize the stories and appreciate the lessons that are being taught.”
Performances are at 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 20; 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 21; and 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 22, at the Waubonsee Community College auditorium, on the Sugar Grove campus. Tickets are $15 in advance or $20 (cash only) at the door. For tickets, visit www.waubonsee.edu or call (630) 466-7900.
If you go
What: Avenue J Studios' production of “Seussical”
When: 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 20; 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 21; and 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 22
Where: Waubonsee Community College auditorium, on the Sugar Grove campus off Route 47.
Tickets: $15 in advance or $20 (cash only) at the door.
Details: Visit <a href="http://www.waubonsee.edu/news/stories/2015/20150129seussical.php">www.waubonsee.edu</a> or call (630) 466-7900.