Seuss on stage

The world and characters of Dr. Seuss will take the stage starting this weekend with a production of “Seussical the Musical” by the Triumvirate Theatre. The show will run Friday and Saturday this week and next at Kenai Central High School.

The musical features characters and images from multiple Dr. Seuss books, most obviously “The Cat in the Hat” and “Horton Hears a Who!,” but also “Green Eggs and Ham,” “Oh, the Thinks You Can Think!” and others.

The story centers on Horton, the elephant who insists that “a person’s a person, no matter how small,” and Jojo, the young daughter of the Mayor of Whoville.

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While Horton’s story is familiar, pulled from the pages, Jojo’s is original to the musical.

“Jojo is a Who who is going to walk through the whole of the Seuss books,” her actress, Morgan Hooper, said after a rehearsal Wednesday. “The Cat in the Hat and Thing 1 and Thing 2 are guiding her through it.”

Bowe Meyers, who plays Horton in the show, said that the show is energetic and fun.

“We have such a good time,” he said. “We want to share that time with you.”

“It’s a great kids show, and we worked really hard on it,” Hooper said.

Meyers described Horton as an elephant who “sings a lot,” and said that he was initially nervous about the solos he would need to sing in a high pitch.

“But I got it down,” he said.

Hooper said that her character was defined by her curiosity. Jojo is guided by the Cat in the Hat and the Things to use her imagination throughout the show.

Last month, Triumvirate President Joe Rizzo told the Clarion that the music of “Seussical” is catchy and its cast of 22 is “incredibly enthusiastic.” He said that in addition to the two weekends at KCHS, the show will make some appearances for school performances around the area.

Tickets to “Seussical the Musical” can be purchased for $16, which includes a $1 ticketing fee, at either triumviratetheatre.org or facebook.com/triumviratetheater. Shows are at Kenai Central High School at 7 p.m. on Feb. 10, 11, 17 and 18.

Reach reporter Jake Dye at jacob.dye@peninsulaclarion.com.

The cast of Triumvirate Theatre’s production of “Seussical,” portraying The Cat in the Hat, Thing 1 and Thing 2 rehearse on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023, in the Renee C. Henderson Auditorium at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Bowe Meyers, as Horton, delivers a solo during a rehearsal of Triumvirate Theatre’s production of “Seussical” on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023, in the Renee C. Henderson Auditorium at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Bowe Meyers, as Horton, and the cast of Triumvirate Theatre’s production of “Seussical” rehearse on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023, in the Renee C. Henderson Auditorium at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Morgan Hooper and the cast of Triumvirate Theatre’s production of “Seussical” rehearse on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023, in the Renee C. Henderson Auditorium at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

The cast of Triumvirate Theatre’s production of “Seussical,” portraying Thing 1 and The Cat in the Hat rehearse on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023, in the Renee C. Henderson Auditorium at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Morgan Hooper (right) and another member of Triumvirate Theatre’s production of “Seussical” rehearse on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023, in the Renee C. Henderson Auditorium at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Morgan Hooper, as Jojo, and the cast of Triumvirate Theatre’s production of “Seussical” rehearse on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023, in the Renee C. Henderson Auditorium at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)