[NEohioPAL]Berko review: 'SEUSSICAL! THE MUSICAL' 8/16/07

[Roy Berko]

Entertaining ‘SEUSSICAL! THE MUSICAL’ at Mercury
Summer Stock

Roy Berko

(Member, American Theatre Critics Association)

--THE TIMES NEWSPAPERS--

Lorain County Times--Westlaker Times--Lakewood News
Times--Olmsted-Fairview Times	

--COOL CLEVELAND.COM--

Pierre-Jacques Brault, the founder and Artistic
Director of Mercury Summer Theatre, which is now
staging ‘SEUSSICAL! THE MUSICAL,’ has a difficult
task.  He is working with a company that has a
shoe-string budget, performs in a Parma theatre with
little stage space, and needs to locate performers and
technicians who are willing to spend long rehearsal
hours for little or no pay.  

In spite of these drawbacks, Brault finds a way to
stage audience-pleasing productions.  The talented,
enthusiastic and ever-smiling Brault, has accomplished
this by building a group of loyal disciples who follow
the person who, one of his advocates describes as,
“The heart and soul of Mercury” and “who I’d do
anything for.”

Now, make no grandiose assumptions.  Mercury’s
productions are not shows that compare with stagings
by the area’s professional theatres, but that’s not
the mission of Mercury.   They want to “serve the 
community by entertaining, enlightening and
celebrating the best of human spirit through art.” 
And, with all their limitations, they do a nice job.

Mercury’s final production of their 2007 season is
‘SEUSSICAL! THE MUSICAL.’
The show, which is based on the books of Theodor Seuss
Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, had its debut on
Broadway in 2000.   During the Broadway run, such
luminaries as Rosie O'Donnell and Cathy Rigby played
the role of the show’s narrator, The Cat in the Hat.

The play's story is an amalgamation of many of Seuss'
most famous books.
The lynch pin of the show is Horton, the sweet and
naive elephant, who endeavors to protect the people of
Who-ville while sitting on an abandoned bird’s egg.  

Lynn Ahrens and Steven Flaherty’s music and lyrics
include such delights as “Alone in the Universe,” “Oh,
The Thinks You Can Think!” and “It’s Possible.”

Brault’s staging is generally cute and clever.  His
choreography fits the level of the dancers.  The cast,
as is the case with most community theatre amateur
productions, is uneven.

Daniel Marshall switches personas easily as the Cat In
The Hat.  Though his singing quality is inconsistent,
he is endearing.    Dan Dicello, is appealing as the
lovable Horton, though he is also erratic in his
vocalizations.  

Molly Richards is absolutely delightful as Gertrude
McFuzz.  Her “The One Feather Tail of Miss Gertrude
McFuzz” is a show stopper.  Kelvette Beacham wailed as
Sour Kangaroo.  

Noah Weinstein and Annie Hickey were right on as Thing
One and Thing Two while Miles Sternfeld had some nice
moments as Jojo.  Brian Marshall and Danielle Renard
were wonderful as the Mayor of Who and the Mayor’s
wife.

As is the case when a play is child-appealing, I took
a member of my “kid’s reviewing squad” to
‘SEUSSICAL!.’  Eleven year-old Alex Berko gave the
show an 8 1/2 on a scale of ten.  He loved the comedy
elements, but thought the singing was “not as good as
it should have been.”  He thought the Cat, who was one
of his favorites, made every joke work.  He loved
Gertrude McFuzz and thought Jojo was “really good.” 
He felt the show started slowly, but said, “I guess
they had to tell the audience who everyone was,
because not everyone has read the Seuss books, but it
did slow things down.”  As a musician (he’s a talented
pianist), he thought the orchestra sounded a “little
tinny.” The show’s messages?  “A person’s a person no
matter how small” and “we all need someone to believe
in.”

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT:  Mercury’s ‘SEUSSICAL! THE
MUSICAL,’ is a pleasant theatrical experience. 
Smaller kids may have a little trouble sitting through
it as the story doesn’t follow each Seuss tale in
order or detail.  But, in general, they should do fine
and adults will enjoy themselves as well. 

‘SEUSSICAL! THE MUSICAL’ continues at Parma Little
Theatre, 6285 W. 54th Street, Parma, through August
25.   For tickets, which are a reasonable $15 or $12, 
call 216-771-5862.

Roy Berko's blog, which contains theatre and dance reviews from 2002 through 2007, as well as his consulting and publications information, can be found at http://royberko.info
      
Roy's theatre and dance reviews appear regularly on NeOHIOpal, an on-line source.   To subscribe to this free service via the World Wide Web, visit http://lists.fredsternfeld.com/mailman/listinfo/neohiopal.  His reviews also appear on www.coolcleveland.com


       
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