Straight Back to Childhood
Written: Mar 24 '01 (Updated Jun 16 '01)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Wonderful, colorful, very entertaining musical - great for kids.
Cons: Strange looking microphones on the actors heads were distracting.
The Bottom Line: Go see this show. I would recommend this for adults and children alike. It is absolutely a feel-good experience and will bring you back to childhood for a few hours.
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| servin's Full Review: Seussical |
My husband and I and another couple went to see Seussical on a recent Friday night. All four of us work in stressful NYC jobs, and by the end of a week are pretty burnt out. Well, Seussical was the perfect prescription for lifting our spirits. Having all read Dr. Seuss books as children, it was exciting to see the characters of childhood come alive on stage.
This is a wonderful show - fast-moving, full of action and colorful costumes, which also delivers positive messages about individuality, the value of each person, loyalty, and perseverance. I would highly recommend this show for kids. There were many kids in the audience. The best part of my experience at the show came not from the actors on the stage, but from the squeals of delight let out by the children in the audience each time the Cat in the Hat's tall red and white hat popped out on the side or top of the stage.
The Story
Seussical basically weaves many of the Dr. Seuss stories together into a new story, starring Horton the Elephant (from Horton Hears a Who and the Who's (from How The Grinch Stole Christmas). The show is emceed by Cathy Rigby as the Cat in the Hat. I won't reveal all the details of the story - I leave that for the theater goer to experience for themselves.
The Music
The music is very upbeat and catchy - days later my husband and I are still humming some of the tunes. Most of the songs, like the original Dr. Seuss books, are in rhyme. Nearly all of the songs have a message behind them. Such songs include "How Lucky You Are" - which is a reminder to remember how lucky you are, even when bad things are happening to you. One of the Who children sings "Anything's Possible, a wonderful song that encourages the power of imagination, something that seems to fall away once we reach adulthood.
Patriculary amusing is the way the book Green Eggs and Ham is sung like a military cadence.
The Characters
Some characters worth mentioning specifically are:
The Cat In the Hat
Now played by Cathy Rigby, the Cat in the Hat is the emcee for the show. She also has a role in the show, and encourages audience participation, which is unusual for Broadway and added to the overall experience. Cathy Rigby is energetic, funny and still a wonderful dancer.
Horton the Elephant
The costume design for Horton and all the other animals in the jungle is very clever. Horton simply wears a grey shirt and shorts, that are crinkled, like you might imagine an elephants skin to be. In spite of such a simple costume, there is no doubt that he is an elephant.
Horton is a gentle giant. His character is very sympathetic and the trials and tribulations he endures with good humor and steadfast loyalty send a great message to kids and adults alike.
The Grinch
The Grinch returns in Seussical as a reformed monster, who is now a celebrity in Whoville, reenacting the story of his personality change each Christmas on stage. I love the Grinch, and even though he as a relatively small role, their portrayal of him is hysterical,.
Costumes
As I mentioned earlier, the costumes are very clever. They are not overt, but by the end of the show, it is very clear which animal is which, by their costume.
Ticket Price
We went to TKTS on the morning of the show and were able to get 7th row, center orchestra seats for $45.00 per person. I would encourage using TKTS for this show, as seats are available on a same day basis.
The Microphones
The only thing that distracted me a little were the small, dot - sized microphones that the actors wore on their foreheads. I spent the first few minutes trying to figure out what they were, and the remainder of the show trying to ignore them. Overall, however, they did not detract from my enjoyment of this show.
Update to this Review: Seussical is, unfortunately, closing. Of course, we always have the CD to listen to.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
servin
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Reviews written: 33
Trusted by: 16 members
About Me:
30-something foodie, who loves shopping, music and travel.
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