Dan's Papers - December 14, 2007 - Seussical the Musical

One of the best things imaginable for a family to do would be to journey into the fantasyland of a book that they all enjoy. And this will be possible during the holidays when Stages Seussical The Musical comes to Bay Street Theatre on December 15 and 16. Seussical opened on Brodway in 2000 and is based on the books of Dr. Seuss. The play is narrated by The Cat in the Hat who will guide the audience into the magical world of Dr. Seuss and many of his characters such as Horton and the Whos, Gertrude McFuzz, Mayzie LaBird, Jojo the kangaroo, the Grinch, Yertle the turtle and many more. They will sing and dance to everyone's delight.

The play incorporates many different stories with a plot similar to that of Horton Hears a Who. The cast of this musical is made up nearly of all children, who will impress with their song and dance, which they have put together through Stages, a Children's Theatre Workshop, Inc. Stephen Flaherty who lives in Sag Harbor where the show will feel right at home for our viewing pleasures wrote the music of Seussical. Heleme Leonard will direct and choreograph Stages' production with musical accompaniment provided by Dr. Koontz and James Benard. The set has been designed by Goran Petmil and Robin Richards with costumes by Barbara Oldak.

It seems a perfect choice to adapt Dr. Seuss's magical lands into a live performance for children. Even more perfect to choose the famous Cat in the Hat to lead the way. So many children have experienced The Cat in the Hat, and the parents who bring their kids to the show will have read the same story when they were children, making the excursion more exciting and the memories more precious. Like the best nursery rhymes, this show will be full of bonding moments between the families who are taking it in.

Ted Geisel published his first book And to Think that I Saw it on Mulberry Street, using the pseudonym Dr. Seuss in 1937. The book received strong reviews and sales, and so began the career of Dr. Seuss that we know today. Thanks to this imaginative author/illustrator, Grandparents are able to read their grandchildren Dr. Seuss' books from their childhood captivating the kids who are sure to have heard of the author. Some of his earlier works were The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins, The King's Stilts and Horton Hatches the Egg.

The cat from The Cat in the Hat is the perfect narrator for this children's musical keeping with the tradition of the classical story. In 1954, writer John Hersey explored an issue in Life magazine that was bothering public at that time, "Why Johnny can't read." He concluded that the books that most schools were using were too boring and suggested that Dr. Seuss write a new reading primer for the nation's schoolchildren. He wanted a book that first graders could not put down. Seuss wrote The Cat in the Hat to replace the boring schoolbooks. It was an instant hit. It was a huge success from the moment of its publication putting Dr. Seuss on the map. Seuss wrote the words of rhyme out of frustration with the word list that he was given by the schools to teach the kids. The children who learn from this story no doubt experience frustration as well with learning to read and understand text. The book is a classic teaching tool that serves a dual purpose of work and play. The Cat in the Hat as a character shows the capability that Seuss had to create someone that children liked. The book was written to teach children how to read and has become so much more than that.

Adults and children of all ages will flock to see the magical performance of Stages' Seussical The Musical showing on December 15 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. and December 16 at 2 p.m. The show is located at Bay Street Theatre on the Long Wharf in Sag Harbor. Tickets for this family holiday treat are $12 for children and $15 for adults and are available at the Bay Street Theatre Box Office, 631-725-9500. For further information about future programs call Stages at 631-329-1420.