‘Seussical’ delights audience with strong characterizations, bright colors

As the Cat in the Hat recited: “When the news is all bad, when you’re sour and blue, when you start to get mad, you should do what I do – tell yourself, how lucky you are.”\nOr one could go see “Seussical the Musical,” where there is no chance of being sad or blue. The musical, which opened Friday in the Ruth N. Halls Theatre, combined bright colors, wonderfully simplistic sets and some of the best acting seen in a long time to make this a production that will certainly be remembered.\n“Seussical” is set in the Jungle of Nool and the world of Who. The central story is that of Horton the Elephant, played by senior Arri Simon, and a young “Who” named JoJo, portrayed by freshman Nicholas Sauerberg. When Horton and JoJo meet and learn about each other’s “thinks,” (Seuss translation: thoughts) their imaginations get them into all kinds of trouble, including JoJo getting sent off to war. \nBoth of these actors had outstanding voices and great amounts of energy. Simon’s caring and nurturing persona coupled with Sauerberg’s child-like personality, comparable only to that of a young boy, made this duo perfect to act together. \nGeneral Schmitz, the general of the “Who” army was played by senior Quinto Ott, who was certainly an audience favorite. During the song “The Military,” Ott’s portrayal of a military man in a Seuss-style army brought long sustained laughter. \nOne member of the “Seussical” cast stole the show, hands down. Graduate student Matthew Buffalo, who played the crazed Cat in the Hat, kept this show moving with his constant antics, wonderfully vibrant faces and liquid movements. \nBut the best part of “Seussical” was by far the audience. The theme of the show is using the imagination to become a kid again. By the time of the curtain call, there was not one person in the audience without a smile stretched from ear to ear. The wonderful sound of child-like laughter, hollers and applause filled the compact theater. The cast fulfilled their dream of making everyone feel like kids again. \n“Seussical the Musical” will continue showing this week at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday in the Ruth N. Halls Theatre. A special matinee will be at 2 p.m. on Oct. 13. Tickets are $18 for adults and $14 for students and seniors. Student Rush Tickets are available for $10 cash and a valid student ID the day of the performance. Tickets are available at the IU Auditorium Box Office or through Ticketmaster. Visit www.theatre.indiana.edu for more information.