FHS Theatre to Present Seussical

On March 29th-31st the Franklin High School Theatre department will present “Seussical” in the FHS auditorium

Emma Nicholson, Writer

We all know and love the Dr. Seuss classics-Green Eggs and Ham, The Cat in the Hat, Horton Hears a Who. Next weekend, Franklin High School Theatre will bring these classic stories to the stage.

Seussical tells the story of Horton, an elephant living in the Jungle of Nool. When Horton discovers a speck of dust that houses an entire community of “whos,” it becomes Horton’s duty to protect Whoville from danger. His admirer, Gertrude McFuzz, may have a short tail but she plays a big role in the story. The show also features characters such as the sassy Sour Kangaroo, the fabulous Mayzie La Bird and her bird girls, and the intimidating Wickersham brothers. With many parts of the show narrated by The Cat in the Hat, the elements of classic Dr. Seuss rhymes are not lost in this production.

Franklin High School has been working hard on Seussical since the fall, under the direction of Marianne Lonati. “Seussical is my favorite show of all time,” says Ms. Lonati. “I love the music and the story and the uplifting message of loyalty, friendship and love. Through the words of Dr. Seuss, you learn to accept people for who they are and not let anyone shake your beliefs.” 

With such a colorful and animated Dr. Seuss story, the sets and costumes at FHS will match that level of creativity. Ms. Loanti says “They are professional and top notch! The set is an explosion of color and fantasy! I just took my vision of the world of Dr. Seuss and transferred that cartoon to the stage. It is so much fun!”

The cast of Seussical in costume

The role of Horton will be played by Junior Danny D’Aprile, with the role of The Cat in The Hat played by Junior Danny Harrington. Senior Lyndsey Honor will play Gertrude McFuzz, and Junior Gina Scratz will portray Mayzie La Bird. The sour Kangaroo will be played by Kimberly Jean-Pierre, and Senior Justin Whalen will play the role of Jojo. Mayzie’s Bird girls are played by Emma Leonard, Catherine Middelmann and Isabel Guilmette, and Chloe Selznick and Cutler Whitmore play Mrs. and Mr. Mayor.  In addition to the featured roles, the show features a dynamic ensemble of singer-dancers from FHS.

There are many great musical numbers in the production, including, “Oh, the Thinks You Can Think,” and “Green Eggs and Ham.” In fact, almost the entire show is sung; there is very limited dialogue which makes it a very engaging show.

“This show is entertaining and exciting and will keep the audience’s undivided attention from start to finish. The entire show is sung and the dancing is high energy and fabulous. Sets and lights and props and costumes are creative and unique. This is an incredibly talented cast and crew of high school kids who have worked so hard to put on an amazing show. I guarantee a great time for all,” says director Ms. Lonati.

Seussical will be presented in the FHS auditorium. Performance dates are as follows:

Friday, March 29th, 7:00 PM

Saturday, March 30th, 7:00 PM

The cast of Seussical in costume

Sunday, March 31st, 2:00 PM

Tickets will be sold at the door for $10 for students with a general admission price of $15.

Please come and support the hard work that FHS Theatre has put into this production!