[NEohioPAL] Review of "Seussical: The Musical" at Fine Arts

[Bob Abelman]

At Fine Arts' 'Seussical,' a new fan I am

 

Bob Abelman

News-Herald, Chagrin Valley Times, Solon Times, Geauga Times Courier

Member, International Association of Theatre Critics 

 

This review will appear in the News-Herald on 11/30/12

 

I am not a big fan of iambic verse

Gilbert and Sullivan bothers me worse

But the one writing style for which I've no use

Is the preening rhymed scheming of one Dr. Seuss

 

Oh, the places I'll go to review any play

And the playwright's approach rarely gets in my way

But unless you're a child, "Seussical" is quite tough

To watch without saying "enough is enough"

 

This show is a series of tales disconnected

>From books that Seuss wrote, each one quite well respected

They are thrown in together and tied to a plot

To give it a flow, but a flow it has not

 

Yet this Fine Arts production with Pierre-Jacques Brault

Has waged a full-throttled, all-out assault

>From its opening moment to the last curtain call

This show is a hoot. It's a blast.  It's a ball

 

Cast, crew and director have done the unthinkable  

If the show were a drink they have made it quite drinkable

Not a moment goes by void of enjoyable stuff

And it seems as if one cannot quite get enough

 

The staging is all you would hope it would be

Full of sight gags, bright colors, tight choreography

Though the orchestra's thin-just some strings and percussion

The talent helps carry this valiant production

 

There's an ensemble cast (which is not that unusual)

Who sing all of the songs (par for shows that are musicals)

Some are sung by small children playing Whos and Who nots

Who hit all the right notes and at all the right spots

 

Brian Marshall's the Cat in the Hat and our host

Though his lines are all written, he makes up the most

He is outlandishly funny and sometimes outrageous

And the fun he is having is completely contagious 

 

Dan DiCello's portrayal is right on the money 

As Horton the Elephant, he is tender and funny

In the play he dismisses sweet Gertrude McFuzz

But Melissa Sills stands out for the things that she does

 

Kelvette Beacham's ideal as the Sour Kangaroo

As are Sean Cahill and Amy Mango, who head up the Whos

Nicole Sumlin as Mayzie is particularly fine

So is Ben Needham's comedic scenic design

 

There's no room to name everyone so very worth noting

But Ryan Vincent, as Jojo, is sure worth promoting

It is clear to us all as he walks on the stage

He has presence to spare for his vast underage

 

The men playing monkeys and the girls playing birds

Should be called out by name, but I've a limit on words

If that's not enough detail and you require more still

They're all listed in order in the Fine Arts playbill

 

As with all Seuss's tales, there's a moral here too

If you're no fan of the man then this show's not for you

But if you do like his verse and have children about

This is one great rendition, of that there's no doubt 

 

The 16th of December ends the run of this show

If you're planning on coming that's as far as it goes

But be warned of the impact of seeing this play

It lasts just 2 hours but you'll be rhyming for days 

 

Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty "Seussical: The Musical" continues through December 16 at the Fine Arts Association's Corning Auditorium in Willoughby.  For information or tickets, which are $15 to $25, call 440-951-7500 or visit www.fineartsassociation.org.
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