‘Seussical’

Bucks County Playhouse gives audiences a Dr. Seuss revue.

By: Stuart Duncan
Seussical, which has just opened at Bucks County Playhouse in New Hope, Pa., to kick off the 14-show, 39-week summer season, is a colorful, energy-packed kaleidoscope of fun and talent. Forty-seven performers are singing and dancing up a storm to Stephen Flaherty’s music and Lynn Ahrens’ lyrics, with a book by both.
   Sadly, talent and energy are pretty much what the evening has as assets; the show itself is pretty much a mess. Characters drawn from no fewer than 14 different tales from the magical world of Dr. Seuss are pushed together with little regard for plot or subtlety of theme. It originally was designed as a rather simple, rough-around-the-edges production that might charm both the younger set and their parents. Think of how Charles Schultz’s You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown came together with six of the cartoon characters singing the simplest of tunes and wistfully wandering through some of Schultz’s sweetest thoughts.
   Instead, when the Boston critics leveled some harsh comments, the producers began to throw money at the project and the show got bigger and bigger, with more exciting costumes. In fact, the costume director was replaced by someone more flamboyant; show "doctors" were brought in to advise and dissent. More and more characters were added to the mix. (The Bucks version, for example, has 47 performers, many of whom wear a variety of costumes as they plow though 40 different songs in about two hours.) The show reached Broadway and lost millions.
   What saves the evening at Bucks is all that talent and the extraordinary passion of director/choreographer Stephen Casey. You won’t be able to follow what might be going on, but you’ll cheer the exuberance of veteran Louis Palena as The Cat in the Hat: coy, funny, charming, slipping in and out of scenes at will. Larry Whalen is outstanding as Horton the Elephant, nesting in a high tree, faithfully guarding an egg and having his best moments with a super-talented 10-year-old Pierce Rolli as Jojo. It is especially fun when the pair sing "Alone in the Universe," or when Whalen teams with Jill Palena as Gertrude McFuzz to reprise the same tune. Ms. Palena plays a bird who wishes for a more colorful tail and wants desperately to get Horton to pay some attention to her.
   Anne Barr, Kendra Heverlo and Lauren Brader are dynamite as birds (presumably blue birds) who have comments on almost everything that is going on. Nathan Anderson clearly is having fun as the Mayor of Whoville, a colony of denizens so small they can hardly be seen and only can be heard. Tressa McCallister has just as much fun playing his wife. Curtis Conlin, Justin Lore and Peter Martino play the Wickersham Brothers in what apparently passes for bad guys seeking to cause mischief.
   Director Casey has called for maximum energy to cover up the inconsistencies of the plot and, at times, the entire stage is an undulating sea of perpetual motion. Since everyone of importance wears a wireless mike, lyrics are sometimes difficult to understand and since that’s mostly what the show is about, you may be a bit disappointed. The kids will love it, though, and there isn’t a naughty word all evening, so bring them.
Seussical continues at Bucks County Playhouse, 70 S. Main St., New Hope, Pa., through May 21. Performances: Wed. 11 a.m., 8 p.m.; Thurs.-Fri. 8 p.m.; Sat. 4, 8 p.m.; Sun. 2 p.m. Tickets cost $17-$24. For information, call (215) 862-2041. On the Web: www.buckscountyplayhouse.com