Theater
For the musical Seussical, co-authors Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, with a conceptual assist from Monty Python’s Eric Idle, gathered up familiar Dr. Seuss characters and story lines, exploited some of his clever verse as song lyrics, and concocted a delightful entertainment for all ages. Nashville Children’s Theatre’s new production, directed by Scot Copeland, does more than justice to the material, with the energetic cast of 10 drawing the most admiration.
Flaherty’s score in general might be categorized as Disney-esque pop, flavored with salsa, Beach Boys harmonies and a little rock and blues, the Seuss-inspired rhyming couplets providing a tight fit to the melodies. Musical director Paul Carrol Binkley and his rousing onstage combo are placed almost dead center into the action, and designer Sean Williams surrounds the playing area with set pieces that cleverly hint at the famous Seuss artwork while still allowing the players plenty of room to roam about. Scott Leathers provides some shifting multicolored backlighting, and costume designer Patricia Taber captures the Seussian spirit with happy cartoonish flair.
As for the story, the creators have melded elements from various Seuss classics such as Horton Hears a Who, McElligott’s Pool and If I Ran the Circus. Traveling through as narrator and filling in bit parts along the way, Jeff D. Boyet is a mysterious, delightfully mischievous Cat in the Hat, but the main focus is on the ingenuous elephant Horton, played by Shawn Knight. Making his NCT debut in a role he has performed previously, Knight successfully captures the character’s naïveté, rendering the plaintive “Alone in the Universe” with sincerity and assuredness.
Horton’s love interest is a bird named Gertrude McFuzz, played here with typical comic zest by Jenny Littleton, whose reedy vocals evoke both laughter and warmth in “The One Feather Tail of Miss Gertrude McFuzz.” NCT standby Rona Carter, who’s made a minor career out of playing frumpy maiden aunts and other mature roles, makes a transformation into the vampy Lazy Mayzie, a flamboyant bird seeking escape from her mundane life. Carter’s vocals are as glitzy as her glittery costume, and she nails her version of the oft-reprised “How Lucky You Are” with high style.
With their vivid artwork and colorful rhymes, the best of Dr. Seuss’ books promote simple virtues such as modesty, humility, equality and a caring regard for others. These messages are aptly and subtly conveyed in the Ahrens script, and the buoyant NCT production strikes a good balance, offering positive reinforcement of Seuss’ benevolent credo for younger viewers while also delivering a sly sophistication that will appeal to just about anyone else.
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Seussical runs through Jan. 15 at Nashville Children’s Theatre. For tickets and information, phone the theater at 254-9103.