Hooligan Theatre Company to put up 'Seussical' production that brings back beloved characters of Dr. Seuss' books
Rehearsal for the student-run musical, “Seussical,” based on the books by Dr. Seuss.
“Seussical" premiere
Today, 8 p.m.
Macgowan Hall, Little Theater, FREE
By Coleton Schmitto
April 1, 2011 1:58 a.m.
Rehearsal for the student-run musical, “Seussical,” based on the books by Dr. Seuss.
With a cast of “Noolians” and a set adorned by feathery “Truffula trees,” Hooligan Theatre Company is letting its inner child run wild. Today, the student-based theater company will attempt to embody the spirit of Dr. Seuss in its production of “Seussical,” opening at 8 p.m. in the Little Theatre in Macgowan Hall.
“Seussical” follows the plot of “Horton Hears a Who,” a tale in which Horton, an honest and misunderstood elephant, discovers a planet consisting of a speck of dust upon a clover populated by tiny inhabitants called “Whos.” However, to his dismay, Horton is the only character who can hear them and is condemned by the Jungle of Nool for believing that this microscopic planet exists.
Although the story adheres to the central plot of “Horton Hears a Who,” Hooligan’s stage adaptation transforms the story into a musical homage to various Dr. Seuss classics. Notable characters include The Cat in the Hat as the narrator and Gertrude McFuzz from “Yertle the Turtle and Other Stories” as Horton’s offbeat admirer.
Michelle Cantrell, a first-year undeclared student, plays the role of Gertrude McFuzz. Cantrell said it takes a lot of commitment to establish a character that can be funny as well as likeable in front of a live audience.
“It’s an interesting process dealing with a goofy character,” Cantrell said. “I have to incorporate her character into the way I sing, (and) I had to stand in front of the mirror practicing facial expressions … so it’s definitely a learning experience for me.”
Shen Heckel, a fourth-year theater student and artistic director of Hooligan Theatre Company, said that the company is primarily oriented toward education. It schedules a large musical every year in order to provide every student the opportunity to perform. Regardless of major or theatrical experience, anyone who wants to be a part of the musical is accepted.
“We want to take the person that’s never been on stage before and tell them what theater is about,” Heckel said.
With this musical in particular, the company has expanded beyond UCLA students. Hooligan held auditions at local schools and cast four children to play the roles of the younger characters.
Heckel, who also directs this show, said that the challenge with the production was bridging the gap between a child’s show and something that college students can enjoy and understand.
“One of my ultimate goals when working with the cast was to bring the college actor down to a child’s level and to have them remember what childhood was like and kind of get lost in that fantasy,” Heckel said.
Cantrell said that the show doesn’t have many grand dance numbers but is more focused upon creating movement that is pretty to watch from an audience’s perspective. However, she said that the dance numbers that are included are going to beworth seeing.
“There is a dance corps that does a tap number, which is really cool. It’s going to be in the dark with black lights, and (the dancers) are going to be wearing white gloves so you’re only going to be able to see their hands glowing,” Cantrell said.
Alisa De Los Santos, third-year psychology student and producer for the show, said that the overall cost for the show will be $60,000. The set’s intricate design has greatly contributed to this cost, requiring more construction than previous Hooligan musicals.
According to Brittany Cobb, a first-year theater student and scenic designer for “Seussical,” the set crew tried to see from the eyes of a child and took on their designs like art projects, using whimsical feather boas, green strips of fabric in various hues and papier-mache.
Cobb said that while she was under a lot of pressure, even forgoing sleep while finalizing the sets, the stress she and the set crew endure ultimately pays off.
“To me, theater is about creating something in the air that you can almost touch, and knowing that I helped make that happen makes it all worth it,” Cobb said.
Through the colorful visuals, the consistent underscore of music and the overall performance, Heckel said that she wants to create for the audience the image that everything is coming out of a child’s imagination.
“I want them to leave with wonder,” Heckel said. “I want them to want to be a child again.”
