Despite its flaws and the fact it flopped when it opened on Broadway, the shortened version of Seussical is a great show for young and old alike.
Seussical premiered on Broadway a few years back to awful reviews. It was panned but the droves of families kept the show running a lot longer than it should have. The authors, Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, re-worked the show into a condensed version, more appropriate for a younger audience. Since the revisions, the show has popped up in countless community theatres and in school productions across North America.
Clearwater Players, a branch of the Ontario Pioneer Camp, are producing Seussical for a very limited run as part of fundraising efforts to award scholarships and bursaries to needy kids so they can attend camp this summer. Filled with current campers, staff and alumni, the cast is riddled with talent. Thank goodness for the cast, as this particular production has a few problems, technically.
Some performances were stronger than others, and particular mention has to go to three of the leading actors. Jordan Pipher is a chameleon as the Cat In The Hat, the narrator of the piece. Each character he portrays is clear and he has some fantastic comedic moments, in particular the Doctor and Jose. Those two characters are minor, but Pipher makes them memorable.
Myrna McBrien brings a certain innocence to the role of Gertrude McFuzz, the bird trying to get Horton to notice her. Her booming voice soars in each of her songs, and she commands the stage every time she is on.
One of the highlights for this reviewer was the fantastic performance of Annie McBrien (daughter of Myrna) as young Jojo. This 7 year old is a powerhouse. She can sing, she has perfect comedic timing, and an innocence and endearing quality to her that is rare in someone so young. Keep your eyes and ears open - hopefully we'll be hearing much more of her in the years to come.
As Horton, Oliver Veit gives a strong performance. While the songs stretch his vocal range, he does a good job at handling each tune. Veit's strongest suit is his acting, and makes up for any shaky notes he had. He is lovable and truly heartwarming Horton, and should be commended for some solid work.
Other notable supporting roles include P.J. Boyd and Sonya LaFleur as Mr. and Mrs. Mayor, and Michelle Kay as Sour Kangaroo.
It's such a treat to see a show where you know that both the actors and audience are having such a great time. It's apparent in this production of Seussical that this is true. It's a shame though that the technical problems couldn't have been sorted out prior to the performance.
Most of the cast have been fitted with microphones, but there are times when they are turned off at the wrong time, or left off too long so the dialogue or lyrics are inaudible (even from the 5th row). Dave Beneteau's lighting design has some interesting points to it, but many times one light is used to light a particular song or scene, limiting the movement of the actors, and sometimes when they do move, they get lost in the darkness.
Kate Stevenson plays Mayzie LaBird and has helmed this production, which doesn't seem like an easy task. Her work as an actress is top notch, and she does an excellent job at handling the production from a directors stand point. There are some problems, including too long transitions between scenes, but all in all, she does a stand up job pulling double duty.
Seussical is a wonderful show for young and old, and Clearwater Players brought the show to life with just the right amount of energy and talent.
Seussical
By Ahrens and Flaherty
Produced by the Clearwater Players
The Meeting House, Oakville
***1/2 (out of five)
