Elmhurst Children’s Theatre members will perform “Seussical” in four performances beginning Friday, Nov. 11 and running through Sunday, Nov. 13.
The musical weaves together characters and adventures from various Dr. Seuss stories, including “Horton Hears a Who!,” “Gertrude McFuzz” and “Horton Hatches the Egg.”
The cast of elementary and middle school students in fifth through eighth grade in Elmhurst schools, many of them veterans of previous productions, bring talent and high energy to the production. It’s a high quality production, backed by professional staff and musicians.
Performances are at 7 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. All shows will be in the auditorium of Blackhawk Middle School, 250 S. Church Rd., Bensenville. Tickets are $12 and available at the door or at http://bit.ly/ectboxoffice
The musical follows as The Cat in the Hat and his imaginative friend, Jojo, transport audience members to Whoville, the Jungle of Nool, McElligot’s Pool, and Circus McGurkus as Horton guards Mayzie’s egg and tries to protect the citizens of Whoville from danger.
The musical is produced under the direction of Emily Leonard with Andrea “Dre” Figueroa as music director and Nina Davalos as choreographer.
In a news release from ECT, Leonard shared her insights about the upcoming performance of Seussical, which she is directing for the fifth time.
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“What I love about this show is how it embodies the spirit of Seuss, approaching serious topics through a playful lens,” Leonard said. “The process of directing this show always sparks a lot of thoughtful conversations with students as we examine the motives of characters who make bad decisions. We are talking about responsibility, body image, bullying, and propaganda, but also having a great time playing delightful characters in imaginative settings . . . It’s always a revelation to see how performers this young rise to the challenge.”
Eighth grader Dylan Wargin, who plays Horton, said in the release, “Seussical is great because everyone gets an important role and the whole cast gets to work together throughout the show.”
Children in fifth through eighth grade who live in Elmhurst or attend District 205 or parochial schools in Elmhurst may audition for ECT productions. ECT stages two main stage productions, a summer show, and the Unintentionally Hilarious Sketch Comedy Troupe each year, hiring professional directors and relying on parent volunteers to manage productions and rehearsals and create costumes and sets. Classes are offered throughout the year for children in first through eighth grades.
For more information, please see: ECT elmhurst children’s theatre — Welcome (elmhurstchildrenstheatre.com).
Graydon Megan is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.