By JESSICA NEU
There’s magic in the air from the moment when young JoJo (Henry Thomas) steps on stage to begin Seussical. For the next 75 minutes, that magic comes alive in the form of classic characters, bright colors (J. Branson) scenic design, and Leon Dobowski’s costume design, technical dancing, and joyous singing.
Directed by Michael Heitzman and choreographed by Robbie Roby, Seussical takes the 2024 CLO season to new heights. Based on the works of Dr. Seuss, this 2000 musical tells the story of Horton the Elephant (Jacob Keith Watson), who discovers a speck of dust that contains the Whos. The Whos are the tiniest creatures in the universe, and the compassionate Horton vows to protect them because “a person’s a person, no matter how small.” The youngest Who, JoJo (Henry Thomas), is sent to military school because his “thinks,” or imagination, are too big, according to his parents.
Horton is persecuted by his peers, who ridicule him for being crazy. Led by Sour Kangaroo (Darius Harper) and choreographed to perfection, the ensemble shines in “Biggest Blame Fool” as they sing about Horton being delusional. Harper channels his inner Billy Porter to bring Sour Kangaroo to life and creates the perfect antagonist for the ensemble. After being isolated by his peers, Horton quickly empathizes with JoJo , who is also misunderstood for his abnormal thinks. Thomas and Watson come together to sing “Alone in the Universe,” showcasing both performers’ vocal talents and creating a captivating emotional appeal. Both gentlemen are simply perfect in their respective roles. As a CLO academy student, I suspect we will see Thomas in many more productions in the coming years. His poise and demeanor on stage are well beyond his young years, and his talent is endless.
Horton also stumbles upon an ostentatious bird, Mayzie LaBird (Kate Loprest) who cons Horton into sitting on her unhatched egg so she can jet set to Palm Springs. Mayzie’s foil, Gertrude McFuzz (Susana Cordon), is the bird with a one-feather tail and the best Cindy Lauper vibe, desperate for Horton to notice her. Loprest and Cordon shine as divas in their own way and prove to be equally “amayzing,” as their lead numbers suggest.
The most well-known Dr. Seuss character, The Cat in the Hat (Beth Malone), is the narrator for the entire show. She encourages JoJo to keep thinking his big thinks and guides us through Horton’s journey. Malone’s sublime physical presence as The Cat in the Hat is a highlight of the show as she controls her core, moves about with a wide stance, and extends her body in the most effortlessly cat-like way. Malone is equally funny, sardonic, and encouraging. She leads the ensemble through heartfelt encounters and laugh-out-loud moments.
You can read Camille Agie’s interview with Beth Malone here.
Part of the magic that Heitzman creates is portraying the timely and timeless themes throughout the show. JoJo is shunned by his parents for having grandiose thoughts, and they want him to be a bit more normal, as society often rejects those with obtuse ideas. Similarly, Horton is labeled as crazy for recognizing the face of the Other despite them being minuscule and unapparent to most. Gertrude is unhappy and self-conscious about her appearance. She turns to magical pills to give her a bushier tail, only to realize that her accentuated appearance does not make her happy. JoJo continues to reiterate that his thinks get him in trouble, but the show concludes by reminding audiences that thinking big and recognizing all humans, no matter how small, makes the world a better place. Seussical proves that the “things you can think when you think about Seuss,” or any dream for that matter, can be in any form, shape, color, or size – what is most important, though, is to stop and recognize the beauty in the specks of dust along the way.
TICKETS AND DETAILS
Pittsburgh CLO’s summer season finale, Seussical the Musical, runs July 30-August 4, 2024, at the Byham Theater, Downtown. Tickets: visit https://www.pittsburghclo.org/shows/seussical .
Categories: Arts and Ideas, Reviews
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