USCB Center For The Arts, Beaufort Children’s Theatre present ‘Seussical JR.’
Staff reports
USC Beaufort’s Center for the Arts and the Beaufort Children’s Theatre will unlock the imaginations of Beaufort County citizens when they bring the Cat in the Hat, Horton the Elephant, Gertrude McFuzz, Mayzie La Bird, the Whos in Whoville and other Seuss favorites to life with their production of “Seussical JR.,” this weekend.
Co-conceived by Lynn Ahrens, Stephen Flaherty and Eric Idle, “Seussical JR.” combines Dr. Seuss tales (… and tails!) using the plinker-plunker of many musical styles — ranging from Latin to pop, swing to gospel, and R&B to funk — as colorful as the classic books.
“Now, I’m here, there is no telling what may ensue with a Cat such as me, and a Thinker like you!” says the Cat in the Hat.
Horton will hear a Who and cheerful chaos will ensue when Beaufort Children’s Theatre presents “Seussical JR.” on Friday, May 15 and Saturday, May 16 at 7 p.m., and Sunday, May 17 at 3 p.m., at USCB Center for the Arts, 801 Carteret Street in historic downtown Beaufort. Ticket prices for adults are $24; seniors are $20; and students are $16. For more information on how to watch the performance please call the box-office 843-521-4145 or go online to uscbcenterforthearts.com.
“Seussical JR.” begins with a young girl named JoJo who conjures up the Cat in the Hat with her powerful imagination and is whisked to the Jungle of Nool for a fantastical adventure. There JoJo learns of the plight of the tiny citizens of Whoville, who live on a planet the size of a speck of dust. Their sole protector is Horton the Elephant, who is the only one with large and sensitive enough ears to hear them, bipping and beeping and playing their oompahs.
The small world is threatened by Sour Kangaroo and the Wickersham Brothers, who in disbelief that a world could be so small, try to steal the dust-speck so they can cast it into a vat of Beezle-Nut oil. During all this drama, Horton has not noticed that he has an admirer, Gertrude McFuzz. She blames his indifference on her one-feather short tail and endeavors to find a way to change her looks.
Meanwhile, Horton’s friend, Mayzie La Bird, is bored of perching on her nest, and convinces the watchful elephant to sit on her egg so she can take a vacation. The Cat follows all these storylines and finally casts JoJo into her own adventure as the irresponsible daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Mayor of Whoville, who ultimately saves her whole tiny world with one, big, imaginative “think.”
The Cast
JoJo – Macie Ruth Magbee
Horton – James Riddle
Gertrude McFuzz – Lauren Grice
Mayzie La Bird – Maribel Bruns
Sour Kangaroo – Annie Grace Wells
Young Sour Kangaroo – Finley Kossack
Mr. Mayor – Emma Brem
Mrs. Mayor – Kayla Chao
Cat in the Hat – Madeline Richardson
Thing 1 – Katie Cechini
Thing 2 – Maren Tillapaugh
Vlad Vladikoff – Gabriel Davidson
Judge Yertle the Turtle – Jackson Hamilton
The Grinch – Cecilia Wareham
Bird Girls
Chloe Miles, Anna Claire Stansell, Maeve Saunders
Ensemble: Betts White, Arabelle Tincher, Mary Margaret Ackerman, Scout Sullivan, Jean Tincher, Khloie Cole, Vivienne Gibbons.
Wickersham Brothers
Melodie Steward, Logan Forrestall, Faith Cantrell
Ensemble: Kaylyn Smith, Ava Borders, Noah Cantrell, Jonah Perkins, Ryan Sprietsma, Lilly Johnson.
Whos & Fish Ensemble
Jack Marshall, Darren Richardson, Annie Marshall, Tripp Welch, Arianna Muriel TenBrook, Alexandra TenBrook, Julia Simmons, Shaw Kishishita, Camden Johnson, Eden Hunt, Clara Benner, Anna Francis Schaefer, Millee DeGraffenried, Bebe Weaver, Harper Evans, Maddie Lewis, Miriel Johnson, Evie Clavijo, Autumn McBride, Magnolia Atkins, Adonia Turnipseed, Holland Harris, Naya Borders.
Jungle Citizens & Circus Animals Ensemble
Charlie Ann Strickland, Allison Smith, Charlie Abercrombie, Everett Johnston, Abigail Poole Butler, Amelia Trail, Emily Scott Howell, Genevieve Murray, Josephine Murray, Kristen O’Donnell, Libby Ferreira, Kallie Canfield, Chandler Hamilton, Kaydence Andera, Sara Borders, Maddi Welch, Katelyn Sansone, Wynn Staiger, Blair Saunders, Fallon Saunders, Allison Perlinger, Valerie Baxley, Kareena Desai, Paisleigh Keyes, Maurice Brown.