By Amanda Pratt
Horton hears a Who, but does Horton hear Santa Claus, too?
Well, Old St. Nick isn’t due to arrive for a while yet, but there’s no need to frown, because Seussical The Musical is coming to town.
Ottawa-based Suzart Productions is putting on five performances of the theatrical show based on the works of the master of rhyme, Dr. Seuss. They’ll take place the week before Christmas at Ben Franklin Place in Nepean.
“For anybody who’s read Dr. Seuss, which should be the whole world, it’s basically the story of Horton Hears A Who,” says Sue Dacey, artistic director for of the small non-profit theatre company.
She says the musical is already a success because the group has sold more tickets to this one show than all of last season’s productions.
Suzart was created by Dacey and her friend, Elaine McCausland, because they enjoyed working with children in musical theatre and wanted to provide affordable family entertainment.
“We’re really excited and hoping to finally pay back our own personal investment that we’ve put into the company,” says Dacey.
The play follows the adventures of Horton the elephant, who one day hears voices coming from a tiny speck of dust. It isn’t long before he realizes he is hearing a tiny race of creatures known as the Whos, who are calling for help from the smallest planet in the universe.
But Horton is the only one with ears sensitive enough to hear the voices, so he is ridiculed by the other animals in the Jungle of Nool for believing that Whos exist.
Eventually, they realize what Horton’s been saying all along: “a person’s a person, no matter how small.”
Narrated by the Cat in the Hat, there are also appearances by other popular Seuss characters, such as the Grinch and Yertle the Turtle.
The cast of 39 is mostly made up of children as well as a few parents.
“It’s a really upbeat musical and it’s really different, so the kids particularly are really into it,” says Dacey. “A lot of that has to do with costuming, too, because it’s Dr. Seuss. They’re wearing weird, wacko stuff. They’re not wearing just normal costumes that you’d pull out of a costume trunk. They’re jungle animals. They’re Whos.”
The actors gather for long rehearsals on Sundays and practice a lot on their own.
Linda Chapman, the show’s choreographer, says rehearsals are going very well.
“It makes it a lot easier when they’re as talented as these kids and adults are,” she says, adding that the unique singing and dancing numbers make the musical really fun for the actors. “The music is wonderful, the songs are wonderful and the story’s great. It’s a nice family show. It’ll appeal to young children and adults.”
Both Chapman and Dacey agree that the biggest challenge in preparing for the performance is trying to rehearse when there is not full attendance each time.
“You have to leave spaces for the people who aren’t there, and it makes it difficult for those who are there to be aware that there are going to be other people,” says Chapman.
“When you’ve got a larger cast, getting them through without colds or flu or whatever is the biggest challenge,” Dacey adds.
Kelleagh Moore, 11, is playing a jungle creature, a cadet and a Who.
“It’s fun and you get to meet new people and it’s good for your resume,” she says.
Monica Poirier is playing a fish, a zebra, a jungle creature and is a member of the chorus. She says the musical is “fun all around,” and “brings through the kid in all of us.”
She adds that the biggest challenge is “to be in character, to really feel into the character and to feel into the storyline. If a person can do that, the show will be a blast.”
Poirier was also the voice coach for Suzart’s production of Guys and Dolls in May.
“I really want to help promote Suzart Productions and make it a success,” she says.
Seussical The Musical is running from Dec. 17 – 19 at The Chambers, Ben Franklin Place, starting at 7 p.m. each night. There will also be afternoon performances starting at 2 p.m. on Sat., Dec. 18 and Sun., Dec. 19.
Tickets are $18 for adults, $15 for seniors and students, and $10 for children ages 12 and
under.