A massive ensemble brings the world of Dr. Suess to life
Mike Mallow photo
The cast and crew of Seussical, from left to right, in the front row are Claire Vavra, Darby Phelps, Jamil De La O, Bella De La O, Elise Fashant, Hayden Dietz, Lauren Ballman, Carter Maskarey, Isaak Worm and Abby Schmitz; in the second row are Kaylen Barta, Nick Mejia, Nathan Glockner, Leonardo Ruiz, Kendalyn Sauter, Isabella Keltgen, Maisie Teigen, Addy Schroer, Dakota Meadows, Issac Schroeder, Amanda Prigge, Eva Tikalsky and Sadie Fossum; in the third row are Zach Zender, John Titus, Geo Castro, Eli Morales, Olivia Skluzacek, Abby Grant, Audrey Krugerud, Audrey Keltgen, Kylie Anderson, Savannah Chapel, Josiah Velarde, Grace Malecha and Emilynn Liebhard; and in the back row are Riley Witte, Ryan Schroeder, Josiah Turek, Aiden Miland, Keith Sexton and Tyson Grant. Not pictured are Alice Schroeder, Xiani Medina, Nora Titus and Grace Pieper.
With dozens of cast members and as many musical numbers, Seussical the Musical will bring the larger-than-life charters of Dr. Seuss to the Tri-City United High School’s performing arts center this weekend.
TCU Fall Musical Director Sarah Meija said with all of the cast and crew together it’s around 50 participants.
The show is a mashup of Dr. Seuss stories, most prominently Horton Hears a Who!, Horton Hatches the Egg, and Gertrude McFuzz. It also features such Suess favorites as The Cat in the Hat and The Grinch.
“I’m very excited for this one,” said Isaac Schroeder,” who plays Horton. He estimates that this is his tenth musical.
“It’s difficult compared to the other plays we’ve done,” said Olivia Skluzacek, who plays Mayzie. “Basically, one song is the entire show.”
The show has been in rehearsals for 10 weeks, beginning in the first half of September.
TCU senior Amanda Prigge plays Gertrude McFuzz and counts this as her eleventh performance since the seventh grade. She also agreed that the musical was a challenge and a rewarding one. “It’s just a really good time. A lot of us have connected in ways I didn’t think that we would. It’s been a long journey and I’m kind of sad it’s coming to an end,” she said.
Performances are Friday and Saturday, Nov 17 and 18, at 7 p.m. with a matinee Sunday, Nov. 19 at 2 p.m.
When the show debuted on Broadway in 2000, it was a financial failure, closing the following year. However, the musical found a second life in local and high school theaters where it is now regularly performed.
See more in the print edition of the Nov. 16 and Nov. 23 issues of the Montgomery Messenger. Subscribe online today to not miss out on future issues for less than a dollar a week (locally)! Limited copies of recent past issues of the Messenger are available for purchase at the Messenger office.
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