Seussical Kids

Auditions: 8/11 4:45-8:30 30-minute time slots 6 at a time break from 6:45-7

Show Description

The Cat in the Hat guides us into The Jungle of Nool where we see Horton, the kind-hearted elephant who discovers a speck of dust containing Whoville. He meets JoJo, a Who child reprimanded for thinking too many “thinks.” Horton decides he must protect the speck of dust on a nearby clover, while at the same time protecting an abandoned egg left to his care by the lazy Mayzie LaBird. Horton tries to convince the other animals in The Jungle of the existence of the Whos, but he is ridiculed and put on trial for insanity. Only his loyal neighbor, Gertrude McFuzz, never loses faith in him. Seussical Kids weaves a story of friendship, loyalty, and responsibility. Despite all odds, Horton and Gertrude band together to save the Whos, free Horton, and restore peace and unity to the Jungle of Nool. Seussical Kids teaches us the power of being unique, and the importance of fighting for your beliefs.

Characters

• Jojo – Male
  JoJo is the audience’s link to the story. The audience follows the narrative through his eyes (he’s also referred to as Child), so it’s most important to cast a young man with an earnest and open disposition. He should be a great singer and actor.
• The Cat in The Hat – Any 
  The Cat In The Hat is the essence of mischief, fun, and imagination. The Cat stirs things up, causes trouble, but always sets things right again, helping Jojo to discover the power of his own imagination as they create the story for the show together. Look for a physically adept actor to play The Cat, one who will be able to play many comic cameos and is comfortable improvising with an audience. The Cat does not need to be your strongest singer, but should still have good rhythm and timing.
• Thing 1 – Any 
  Mischievous, spirited creatures who take JoJo and the audience on quite an adventure. Cast two actors, male or female, with great singing chops and who can move well.
• Thing 2 – Any
  Mischievous, spirited creatures who take JoJo and the audience on quite an adventure. Cast three actors, male or female, with great singing chops and who can move well.
• Horton – Male
  Horton is a loveable elephant with a heart of gold. Cast a young performer who can sing well and convey great loyalty and conviction to the Whos.
• Mr. Mayor – Male
  Mr. Mayor is the mayor of Whoville and the perfect picture of patriarchy. He tries to keep the town happy and secure, which is quite a job since the tiny Whos are always in danger of being swept away and lost. Cast a young man who can portray an older age and a sense of authority. Mr. Mayor has a few featured lines sung with Mrs. Mayor, so it’s great if the two actors’ voices work well together.
• Mrs. Mayor – Any
  Mrs. Mayor is the mayor’s wife and is most concerned with trying to make sure her son, JoJo, stays in line. Cast a fine singer and actor complementary of Mr. Mayor and JoJo, whose voice blends well with Mr. Mayor.
• Gertrude McFuzz – Female
  Gertrude McFuzz is a bird with tail envy! Cast a great performer who can sing, act and is a perfect match for Horton.
• Mayzie LaBird – Female
  Mayzie LaBird is a sneaky bird who tricks Horton into helping her take care of her egg. Cast a young woman who can express a fun, jovial and careless spirit.
• Sour Kangaroo – Female
  Sour Kangaroo is as sour as a kangaroo can be. Cast a young woman who can sing and act well and can serve up a good deal of attitude. Feel free to cast a younger performer in the role of Young Kangaroo, who could be played by a boy or girl. They should function well as a pair.
• Young Kangaroo – Any
  Sour Kangaroo is as sour as a kangaroo can be. Cast a young woman who can sing and act well and can serve up a good deal of attitude. Feel free to cast a younger performer in the role of Young Kangaroo, who could be played by a boy or girl. They should function well as a pair.
• Wickersham Brothers – Any
  The Wickersham Brothers are not bad guys! They’re simply a lot like kids who tease, play pranks, and get a kick out of making mischief, although often at others’ expense. They enjoy hanging around with one another, making music together on the street corner, and playing off one another. Encourage each of your actors to find their own Wickersham persona.
• Judge Yertle – Any
  Judge Yertle the turtle presides over Horton’s court proceedings. This is a fun role for a performer who can make strong acting choices.
• Vlad Vladikoff – Any
  Vlad Vladikoff is an eagle who drops Whoville into a field of clovers! Cast a young performer who has a great sense of comedy and can make strong acting choices in this fun cameo role.
• Ensemble
  The Whos, Jungle Citizens (1-5), Fish, the Wickershams, the Talk Show Host and Marshal are all essential roles for creating the vivid and imaginative world of Seuss. Each creature or person should embody the characters with bold choices and a strong connection to the rest of the players.

Audition Preparation

Participant will need to prepare 16-32 bars (about 1 minute) of a song of their choice. They should also be prepared to read sides from the show. Audition Sides

Schedule

8/23 workday 10-2- Everyone
9/21 Move in 1-2:30- Everyone
9/29 30 Tech- Everyone
10/1 2 Dress Rehearsals- Everyone