Seussical is a musical based on Dr. Seuss’s works, and debuted on November 30, 2000. The play's story is a rather complex amalgamation of many of Seuss's most famous books. After an unsuccessful Broadway run, the production spawned two US National Tours and has become a favorite for community and regional theatres. There are also reduced versions of the show for younger performers, such as Seussical JR., Seussical KIDS, and Seussical TYA. The musical got a TV special on June 17, 2005, produced by Marc Platt.
Plot[]
(This is the synopsis for the 2000 Broadway version. The 2002 Tour-Present synopsis can be found in the Seussical JR. section of this page.)
Act I[]
The show opens with The Cat in the Hat, asking the audience if they ever imagined they’d see him on stage, instead of on a page. He then encourages the audience to Think up the "Seussian" world and characters around them ("Oh, the Thinks You Can Think!").
To begin the story, the Cat encourages the audience to think up the Jungle of Nool, where Horton the Elephant is bathing. Horton hears a strange noise coming from a nearby speck of dust, and reasons that someone must be on it, calling out for help. He carefully places the speck on a soft clover and decides to guard it ("Horton Hears a Who"). But he is mocked mercilessly by the Sour Kangaroo and the other animals of the jungle, who do not believe him ("Biggest Blame Fool"). The only exceptions are Horton's bird neighbors, Gertrude McFuzz, who admires his compassion, and Mayzie LaBird, who is more concerned about herself ("Biggest Blame Fool Playoff").
Horton soon discovers that the speck is actually a microscopic planet populated by creatures called Whos. The citizens of Who-ville introduce themselves and their yearly Christmas pageant directed by their friend the Grinch. They also reveal that in addition to being unable to control where the speck flies, they are on the brink of war and their entire population of Truffula Trees has been cut down ("Here on Who"). The Whos thank Horton and ask for his protection, and he agrees to guard their planet.
At this point, we are introduced to Jojo, the son of the Mayor of Who-ville and his wife. His parents are going to speak with his teachers at the Who PTA. They leave him at home, alone, where he is then greeted by the Cat in the Hat ("A Day for the Cat in the Cat"). He comes to cure his boredom and encourages him to Think. By the end of the number, him and his Helpers have left, leaving the house the same as it was before Jojo’s parents return. They arrive with the terrible news that Jojo's Thinks have been disturbing his classes and teachers. They order him to "take a bath and go to bed, and think some normal Thinks, instead". Jojo then goes to take his bath, where he tries his best to not Think, but the dripping of the tub's tap reminds him of a school of fish, leading him to Think of McElligot's Pool. ("It's Possible"). Jojo ends up bathing long enough to concern his parents and they tell him to go to bed. The Mayor and his wife then contemplate what to do with their son ("How to Raise a Child"). When someone in the orchestra pit hands them a brochure, they decide to send Jojo to a military school run by General Genghis Kahn Schmitz, who is preparing to go to war with those who eat their bread with the butter side down ("The Military"). While there, Jojo meets Horton, and finds a mutual friend in him ("Alone in the Universe").
Gertrude, meanwhile, has fallen in love with Horton, but is afraid he does not notice her because of her own tail, which consists of only "one droopy-droop feather" ("The One Feather Tail of Miss Gertrude McFuzz"). At the advice of Mayzie, whose tail is enormous and dazzling, she consumes pills which make her tail grow new feathers. Gertrude is so excited that she overdoses, causing her tail to grow long and unwieldy ("Amazing Mayzie"/"Amazing Gertrude").
Horton is ambushed by the Wickersham brothers, a gang of delinquent monkeys, who steal the clover and make off with it ("Monkey Around"). Horton gives chase until the Wickershams hand the clover to an eagle named Vlad Vladikoff, who drops it into a large patch of identical clovers ("Chasing the Whos"). Here, the Cat cuts briefly into the action to remind the audience how lucky they are to not be Horton ("How Lucky You Are"). Undeterred, Horton begins to look for the clover, hoping the Whos are still alive, when Gertrude catches up with him and tries to get him to notice her new tail. Horton is too busy, so she leaves to take more pills ("Notice Me, Horton").
Horton is about to search his two millionth clover when he loses hope. Mayzie, sitting in a nearby tree, offers to help him forget about the Whos by hatching an egg that she is too lazy to care for ("How Lucky You Are (Reprise)"). Horton reluctantly agrees, and Mayzie leaves for a vacation. Horton sits through months of harsh weather as he tries to decide between the egg and the Whos ("Horton Sits on the Egg") before he is captured by hunters, who take him away along with the entire tree. Gertrude tries to stop the hunters, but cannot fly due to her heavy tail.
The Cat closes the act with a reprise of "How Lucky You Are", and helps lead the audience back to their seats during intermission.
Act II[]
Horton, still hatching the egg, is auctioned off to the traveling Circus McGurkus ("Egg, Nest, and Tree"/"Circus McGurkus"/"Mayzie In Palm Beach"). At one show in Palm Beach, he meets up with Mayzie, who insists that he keep the egg for himself before leaving ("Amayzing Horton"). Horton mourns the loss of the Whos and Jojo, but vows just as surely to protect the egg, as it, too, is alone without its mother ("Alone in the Universe (Reprise)"), and sings it a lullaby with Jojo about a magical place called Solla Sollew. At the same time, the Mayor and his wife begin to miss Horton and Jojo, and wish for Solla Sollew, as well ("Solla Sollew").
Jojo is with General Schmitz and his platoon as the Butter Battle commences ("Transition to Butter Battle"). Jojo deserts Schmitz, but sprints into a minefield and dies. Schmitz heads to Who-ville to tell Jojo's parents the horrible news ("A Message from the Front"). The Cat returns to mourn the loss of Jojo and rewind time to prevent his death. Jojo is then lost with no idea of where to turn. He tries to ask Horton for help, but since he currently does not have the clover, a version of him, a “Very Large Think” appears to help him. He tells Jojo to follow his Hunches, and they will lead him home. The Cat appears with a band of Hunches, encouraging him to use his Thinks to find his way home ("Havin' a Hunch"). Jojo does so and happily reunites with his parents, who forgive him for his Thinks.
Gertrude sneaks into the circus to free Horton, explaining she plucked out all but one of her tail feathers to fly there, and confesses her love for him. She also reveals she has found his clover, delighting and relieving Horton to find the Whos alive and well ("All for You"). However, the Sour Kangaroo and the Wickersham brothers arrive to take Horton back to the jungle.
In the jungle, Horton is put on trial for the crimes of "talking to a speck, disturbing the peace, and loitering... on an egg" ("The People Versus Horton the Elephant"). Aided by Gertrude, Horton makes his best case, but Judge Yertle the Turtle finds him guilty. He orders Horton remanded to the "Nool Asylum for the Criminally Insane" and the clover destroyed in a kettle of hot "Beezle-Nut" oil. Desperate, Horton encourages the Whos to make as much noise as possible to prove their existence, but the animals do not hear them. Jojo finally uses his Thinks to conjure a new word, "Yopp", which he shouts loudly enough to reach the animals' ears. Convinced at last, the animals repent and promise to help protect the Whos, and Horton is acquitted. Jojo is accepted by his parents and the rest of Who-ville as "Thinker Non-Stop" for saving their planet. Horton's egg hatches into a tiny flying "Elephant-Bird", amazing everyone, but dismaying Horton, who panics at the thought of flying progeny. Gertrude reassures him that they can raise the child together, and they agree to do so.
With the story finished, the Cat returns to close the show ("Finale - Oh, the Thinks You Can Think!"), and the show ends with the Elephant-Bird’s first word, “Seuss!”.
During a curtain call, the company performs a number based on Green Eggs and Ham ("Green Eggs and Ham").
Cast (OBC)[]
David Shiner - The Cat In The Hat
Kevin Chamberlin - Horton The Elephant
Jojo - Anthony Blair Hall, Andrew Keenan-Bolger (Alternate)
Gertrude McFuzz - Janine LaManna
Mayzie LaBird - Michele Pawk
Sour Kangaroo - Sharon Wilkins
The Mayor of Whoville - Stuart Zagnit
Mrs. Mayor - Alice Playten
General Genghis-Kahn Schmitz - Erick Devine
Bird Girls - Natascia Diaz, Sara Gettelfinger, Catrice Joseph
The Wickersham Brothers - David Engel, Tom Plotkin, Eric Jordan Young
Judge Yertle the Turtle - Devin Richards
Marshal of the Court - Ann Harada
Vlad Vladikoff - Darren Lee
The Grinch - William Ryall
Cat's Helpers/Hunches - Joyce Chittick, Jennifer Cody, Justin Greer, Jerome Vivona, Darren Lee, Mary Ann Lamb
Ensemble (Whos, Fish, Circus McGurkus Animals and Perfomers, etc.) - Erick Devine, Eddie Korbich, Sharon Wilkins, Natascia Diaz, David Engel, Sara Gettelfinger, Ann Harada, Catrice Joseph, Mary Ann Lamb, Darren Lee, Monique L. Midgette, Casey Nicholaw, Tom Plotkin, Devin Richards, Jerome Vivona, Eric Jordan Young, Shaun Amyot, Micheal J. Farina, Jenny Hill, Michelle Kittrell, David Lowenstien
Musical Numbers[]
Act I[]
- "Overture" — Orchestra/The Boy Who Thinks
- "Oh, the Thinks You Can Think!" — The Cat in the Hat and Company
- "Horton Hears a Who" — Bird Girls, Horton the Elephant and Citizens of the Jungle of Nool
- "Biggest Blame Fool" — Sour Kangaroo, Young Kangaroo, Horton the Elephant, Wickersham Brothers, Bird Girls, Gertrude McFuzz, Mayzie LaBird, Citizens of the Jungle of Nool and The Cat in the Hat
- "Here on Who" — The Mayor of Whoville, Mrs. Mayor, The Grinch, Whos and Horton the Elephant
- "A Day for the Cat in the Hat" — The Cat in the Hat, Jojo and the Cat's Helpers
- "It's Possible (McElligot's Pool)" — Jojo and Fish
- "How to Raise a Child" — The Mayor of Whoville and Mrs. Mayor
- "The Military" — General Genghis Khan Schmitz, Jojo and Cadets
- "Alone in the Universe" — Horton the Elephant and Jojo
- "The One Feather Tail of Miss Gertrude McFuzz" — Gertrude McFuzz
- "Amayzing Mayzie" — Mayzie LaBird, Gertrude McFuzz and Bird Girls
- "Amayzing Gertrude" — Gertrude McFuzz, Dr. Dake (The Cat in the Hat) and Bird Girls
- "Monkey Around"— The Wickersham Brothers and Horton the Elephant
- "Chasing the Whos" — Horton the Elephant, Sour Kangaroo, Young Kangaroo, Bird Girls, Wickersham Brothers, The Cat in the Hat, Vlad Vladikoff and Whos
- "How Lucky You Are" — The Cat in the Hat and Whos
- "Notice Me, Horton" — Gertrude McFuzz and Horton the Elephant
- "How Lucky You Are (Mayzie's Reprise)" — Mayzie LaBird, Horton the Elephant and The Cat in the Hat
- "Horton Sits on the Egg / Act I Finale" — Full Company
Act II[]
- "Entr'acte" — The Cat in the Hat and Orchestra
- "Egg, Nest, and Tree" — Horton the Elephant, Sour Kangaroo, Bird Girls, Wickersham Brothers, The Cat in the Hat and Hunters
- "The Circus McGurkus" — The Cat in the Hat, Horton the Elephant and the Circus McGurkus Animals and Performers
- "The Circus on Tour" — The Cat in the Hat, Horton the Elephant and the Circus McGurkus Animals and Performers
- "Mayzie in Palm Beach" — Mayzie LaBird, José the Pool Boy (The Cat in the Hat)
- "Amayzing Horton" — Mayzie LaBird and Horton the Elephant
- "Alone in the Universe" (Reprise) — Horton the Elephant
- "Solla Sollew" — Horton the Elephant, The Circus McGurkus Animals and Performers, The Mayor of Whoville, Mrs. Mayor and Jojo
- "Transition to Butter Battle" — General Genghis-Khan Schmitz, Cadets and Jojo
- "Into the Whos Christmas Pageant" — The Grinch, Whos
- "A Message from the Front" — General Genghis-Khan Schmitz, Cadets, The Mayor of Whoville and Mrs. Mayor
- "Havin' a Hunch" — The Cat in the Hat, Jojo, and The Cat's Helpers/Hunches
- "All for You" — Gertrude McFuzz, Horton The Elephant and Bird Girls
- "The People Versus Horton the Elephant" — Horton the Elephant, Gertrude McFuzz, The Mayor of Whoville, Mrs. Mayor, Jojo, General Genghis Kahn Schmitz, Sour Kangaroo, Young Kangaroo, Wickersham Brothers, Yertle the Turtle, Bird Girls The Marshal of the Court, Whos
- "Finale" / "Oh, the Thinks You Can Think!" (Reprise) — Full Company
- "Curtain Call" / "Green Eggs and Ham" — Full Company
Pre-Broadway (1999-2000)[]
In a reading in New York City, Eric Idle played the Cat in the Hat, and was credited at the time for contributions to the story line. In the Toronto workshop in 2000, coordinated by Livent Inc., Andrea Martin played the Cat in the Hat. Positive early buzz set off a bidding war among New York theatre producers, with Barry and Fran Weissler acquiring the rights. The musical had its out-of-town tryout in Boston, Massachusetts at the Colonial Theatre in September 2000.
Seussical the Musical (Broadway 2000)[]
Seussical opened on Broadway at the Richard Rodgers Theatre on November 30, 2000. It was directed by Frank Galati and choreographed by Kathleen Marshall. Marshall's brother Rob Marshall was hired to direct the show when it returned to Broadway from Boston, though was uncredited. Originally, Catherine Zuber was the costume designer who made costumes as close to Seuss's illustrations as possible, and her costumes were seen in the Boston run. However, for Broadway, Zuber was replaced by William Ivey Long, whose costumes were more realistic and clashed with the Seussian set design.
The show received almost universally negative reviews. In January 2001, in response to falling ticket sales, producers brought in Rosie O'Donnell to replace Shiner as the Cat in the Hat for a month-long engagement. O'Donnell also came in because Shiner went on vacation to see his wife in Germany. The move was criticized as stunt casting, but was successful at temporarily boosting ticket sales. After O'Donnell's run ended, Shiner returned to Seussical as the Cat in the Hat in February until March. In March, young pop star Aaron Carter and former Olympic gymnast Cathy Rigby were cast as JoJo and the Cat respectively for short engagements. Due to poor box office, the show closed on May 20 the same year after 198 performances. Its ultimate financial losses were estimated at $11 million, making it one of the worst financial flops in Broadway history.
US Tours (2002-2004)[]
Following the Broadway production, there were two US national tours. Rigby reprised her role as the Cat for the first tour which ran from September 2002 to June 2003. A second non-Equity production toured from 2003 to 2004.
The script for the first tour was reworked extensively after the show's poor showing on Broadway, resulting in the removal or reworking of several songs. The biggest change involved Jojo, who would now initially appear as an anonymous boy imagining the events onstage before the Cat pushed him into the story. Additional dialogue was included, and some songs and their reprises were cut. This version of the show is the one currently licensed by MTI as Seussical the Musical.
Script Changes[]
A list is provided here of all of the changes made to the show after Broadway.
Overture/The Boy Who Thinks[]
- The overture is extended, adding musical references to “It’s Possible (McElligot’s Pool)”, “Alone In the Universe”, and “A Day For the Cat in the Hat”, which ironically was cut in the rewrite.
- Jojo, now the anonymous Boy, has lines in the beginning.
- The Cat’s beginning lines have been changed.
Now that is very unusual hat.
I wonder what’s under a hat such as that.
It could be a creature they call the Ga-Zat
Who balances things on his head ‘cause it’s flat.
Or a stripe-loving pipster from Upper Mount Bat.
Or a sort of a kind of a hat-wearing…
The Boy and the Cat in the Hat: Cat!
The Cat: I can see you’ve got quite a mind for your age.
Why, one Think, and you’ve dragged me right on to the stage!
Now that I’m here, there’s no telling what may ensue…
…With a cat such as me, and a Thinker like you!
Oh, The Thinks You Can Think![]
- The section where the Cat in the Hat would do his introduction has been changed since he’s no longer the narrator.
The Cat: Think of something horrible and hairy!
+ Principals: Something sinister and scary that you never dared to Think of before!
Think of nobody here, and the feeling of fear, and the darkness of night.
Ooh…
All alone in your room, as you’re facing your doom,
The Cat: Think a glimmer of light!
+ Principals: Ah!
The Cat: But I hope you’re prepared to be scared than scared!
+ Principals: ‘Cause this ain’t Mother Goose!
The Cat: Danger’s right on the brink,
+ Principals: When you Think about Seuss!
- The line “And a boy from that world who has troubles galore!” was changed to “And a boy from that world who has Thinks just like you!”
- The last line, “Seuss!” has been changed from the full company to just Jojo.