By Jennifer J. Johnson
Front Row Reviewers saw Off Broadway Theatre’s production of Seussical the Musical, show on perhaps the perfect night: Saturday, April Fool’s Day! Well–truffula-terrific! In fact, catching (or re-catching) Off Broadway Theatre’s Suessical the Musical any night would be truffula-terrific!
The Off Broadway Theatre (or “OBT”) offers metro-quality theater within a suburban environment. This makes for a “best-of-both-worlds” experience. Once you walk in the lobby to see this production? You are already transformed to the magical world that more than 600 million copies of Seuss works have been relished by children and wonderfully child-like adults around the world. 3D truffula trees adorn the entrance to the theater. A shrine to the late “Dr. Seuss” – author/illustrator Theodor Seuss Geisel – hosts several well-loved classics. Even the lavatory is Seussed up, with an apropos (spell as you wish) sign by the bathrooms – “Oh these places you GO!” On top of these lobby decorations, OBT sports a whole “selfie wall” with painted images on it. Theater volunteers share that the lobby decorations are the work of none other than OBT Co-founder Eric R. Jensen.
Once you have your tickets and your popcorn (on this night, it is lovingly served up by volunteer Brandon Halley playing “Horton” in another cast), you are anxious, child-like, waiting for the show to begin. And what a beginning it is. The blue-haired-long-before-Marge-Simpson-made-vertical-blue-hair “a thing,” “Thing 1 and Thing 2” welcome us and kick off the house rules. “Oh the Thinks You Can Think” is an energetic opener. The show effectively leverages its facility, having lots of activity not only on stage, but in the “box” area above the stage, and even up and down the aisles. A giant red and white striped structure – yes, you know it, a hat – not only Seusses up the stage but is a serviceable prop throughout the show. It is a fun ensemble, featuring a delightfully diverse cast of various ages, ethnicities, body types, and yes, mostly importantly, CREATURES! Those who “speak Seuss” immediately recognize the cotton-candy-like Truffula Trees, the sky-high-haired Cindy Lou Who (Alina Hartvigsen), the menacing monkey trio Wickersham Crew (Madison Easton, McKay Cotterell, Robbie Easton) and other beloved characters from the books which have been translated into 20 languages.
OBT players not only fill the stage for this performance, but for three different casts, accommodating 70 different actors, providing an April’s worth of shows. Seuss-o-philes such as I will recognize the playfully insider names of the three casts: McGurkus – named after Circus McGurkus from the If I Ran the Circus book; Umbroso – named after Marco & Mrs. Umbroso from McElligot’s Pool; and Vladikoff – for Vlad Vladikoff the Eagle (Chip Bunker) who carries Horton, his clover, and all of Whoville to where he ends up spending a year.
Seussical the Musical unites several Dr. Seuss stories into one epic Seuss-Universe. Horton Hears a Who and Horton Hatches the Egg blend with a story that this supposed Seuss-o-phile was unfamiliar with –Gertrude McFuzz. Not knowing that? Not a problem! Nor would it be an issue for an audience member entirely unfamiliar with the very accessible Seuss world.
Basically, the story pays off the lovely Seussian gospel of “A person’s a person, no matter how small” in portraying the day-to-day life of what we see as the tiny Who people whose tiny town is no larger than a speck of dust decorating a clover plant. “Whoville” is jeopardized when their protector, the easy-going defender of good Horton the Elephant (Carl Smith) is unable to convince others of Whoville’s existence. Self-absorbed, self-proclaimed do-gooding characters are unable to hear the Whos, and so they conclude Horton is a kook – and a dangerous one at that. The gentle giant overcomes torment, capture, and a year-long baby-sitting assignment for the unhatched egg of playgirl Mayzie La Bird (Kyra Furman), while his friend Gertrude McFuzz (Connie Beaty), who, says she “dreamed of playing Gertrude McFuzz for eight years) tirelessly searches millions of clovers to re-locate the MIA clover hosting the Who’s. Horton is roped and tied, and the evil characters are seeking to boil the clover they see damning Horton to an “institution for the criminally insane” when Whoville needs to either be heard or go home – home as in a boiling-pot-of-water or final-destination home.
Stand-out musical numbers include “Here on Who.” In my notes I scribbled “The Who Song.” This number is a great vehicle for the Mayor (Justin Ortiz) and Mrs. Mayor (Viveann Godwin). The duo, each an extravagant character actor, exhibits great comedic timing. Each is and they are, singly and doubly, standouts. The young JoJo (Clara Johnson) has a great voice, shows zero stage fright, and holds her own amid veteran performers and quite literally out-of-this-world beings on stage. Johnson’s musicality again shines in the Act I duo with Jo Jo’s and Horton’s singing of “Alone in the Universe.” Perhaps her most shining moment is her Act II solo appropriately titled “JoJo Alone in the Universe.”
While the opening “Oh the Thinks You Can Think” ensemble number features the entire cast, the show also features large-scale musical numbers such as “Biggest Blame Fool.” Imaginative, fun choreography by Katie Whiteley and Emily Landeen amplifies the musical experience. The production really embodies the show’s theme (“A person’s a person, no matter…”) by ensuring that every actor is a star. In Act I, the Shark, Tiger Shark, and Octopus all make their presence gloriously known. During the “It’s Possible” musical number, Shark literally gets hang time, jump-dancing. Who knew a land shark had such great game? In Act II, the Chicken is a standout in the “Egg Nest & Tree”” and “The Circus McGurkus/Reprise” numbers.
As with much of musical theater, and theater in general, “the bad guys” or unsavory characters really have some great material. The Sour Kanagaroo (Emma Gilmore) and attendant Young Kangaroo (Aurora Thrall) really make their memorable mark on the show. Remember, folks, “You can’t run away from a Kangaroo!”
In the “Amayzing Mayzie” one-upped by the “Amayzing Gertrude” numbers, there is show-stopping choreography via dances with props. Gertrude’s tail takes on a life of its own. Kudos (or some other Seussical spelling of the word) to choreographers Whiteley Landeen, and show director Jake Andersen. Those numbers are followed by the very playful “Monkey Around,” which highlights not only great choreography but nice solos.
Act II’s “Mayzie in Palm Beach” features a very funny, well-synched duet between Thrall’s Cat and Furman’s Mayzie, backed by the array of jungle animals in the cast.
The Cat is simply spectacular. Solo vehicles such as “How Lucky You Are” and its “Reprise” really showcase the playfully feline Thrall’s talents. Thrall has amazing stage presence, which is evident from her picture adorning the playbill cover.
Another great character actor is General Schmi (Michael Thrall). Like many community-theater families, the Thrall clan joyously hups to in these OBT productions. The Cat in the Hat is Rossy Thrall; the Young Kangaroo is Aurora Thrall; and ensemble player Matthias Thrall joins the clan in the ensemble.
As would be expected, the finale is rousing. The entire cast brings to show to a close with “Oh the Thinks You Can Think” and “Green Eggs and Ham.” Off Broadway Theater in Draper provides a family-friendly production that will cause young and old to enjoy one of our favorite author’s work: Dr. Seuss and his wacky and wild adjectives and adverbs, onstage.
The Off Broadway Theatre presents Suessical the Musical by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty.
12366 S 900 E, Draper, UT
March 31 – April 29, 2023 (Monday, Friday-Saturday) 7:30 PM, 2:00 PM Saturday matinees
Tickets: $12-16
Contact: 801-355-4628
The Off Broadway Theatre’s Facebook Page
Parking is a breeze. Pricing is affordable, with single-ticket, as well as season and “flex” passes.
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