The cast of Triumvirate Theatre’s production of “Seussical” rehearse on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023, in the Renee C. Henderson Auditorium at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

The cast of Triumvirate Theatre’s production of “Seussical” rehearse on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023, in the Renee C. Henderson Auditorium at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Seuss on stage

Triumvirate’s “Seussical the Musical” brings to life familiar literary characters

The world and characters of Dr. Seuss will take the stage starting this weekend with a production of “Seussical the Musical” by the Triumvirate Theatre. The show will run Friday and Saturday this week and next at Kenai Central High School.

The musical features characters and images from multiple Dr. Seuss books, most obviously “The Cat in the Hat” and “Horton Hears a Who!,” but also “Green Eggs and Ham,” “Oh, the Thinks You Can Think!” and others.

The story centers on Horton, the elephant who insists that “a person’s a person, no matter how small,” and Jojo, the young daughter of the Mayor of Whoville.

While Horton’s story is familiar, pulled from the pages, Jojo’s is original to the musical.

“Jojo is a Who who is going to walk through the whole of the Seuss books,” her actress, Morgan Hooper, said after a rehearsal Wednesday. “The Cat in the Hat and Thing 1 and Thing 2 are guiding her through it.”

Bowe Meyers, who plays Horton in the show, said that the show is energetic and fun.

“We have such a good time,” he said. “We want to share that time with you.”

“It’s a great kids show, and we worked really hard on it,” Hooper said.

Meyers described Horton as an elephant who “sings a lot,” and said that he was initially nervous about the solos he would need to sing in a high pitch.

“But I got it down,” he said.

Hooper said that her character was defined by her curiosity. Jojo is guided by the Cat in the Hat and the Things to use her imagination throughout the show.

Last month, Triumvirate President Joe Rizzo told the Clarion that the music of “Seussical” is catchy and its cast of 22 is “incredibly enthusiastic.” He said that in addition to the two weekends at KCHS, the show will make some appearances for school performances around the area.

Tickets to “Seussical the Musical” can be purchased for $16, which includes a $1 ticketing fee, at either triumviratetheatre.org or facebook.com/triumviratetheater. Shows are at Kenai Central High School at 7 p.m. on Feb. 10, 11, 17 and 18.

Reach reporter Jake Dye at jacob.dye@peninsulaclarion.com.

The cast of Triumvirate Theatre’s production of “Seussical,” portraying The Cat in the Hat, Thing 1 and Thing 2 rehearse on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023, in the Renee C. Henderson Auditorium at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

The cast of Triumvirate Theatre’s production of “Seussical,” portraying The Cat in the Hat, Thing 1 and Thing 2 rehearse on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023, in the Renee C. Henderson Auditorium at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Bowe Meyers, as Horton, delivers a solo during a rehearsal of Triumvirate Theatre’s production of “Seussical” on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023, in the Renee C. Henderson Auditorium at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Bowe Meyers, as Horton, delivers a solo during a rehearsal of Triumvirate Theatre’s production of “Seussical” on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023, in the Renee C. Henderson Auditorium at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Bowe Meyers, as Horton, and the cast of Triumvirate Theatre’s production of “Seussical” rehearse on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023, in the Renee C. Henderson Auditorium at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Bowe Meyers, as Horton, and the cast of Triumvirate Theatre’s production of “Seussical” rehearse on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023, in the Renee C. Henderson Auditorium at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Bowe Meyers, as Horton, and the cast of Triumvirate Theatre’s production of “Seussical” rehearse on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023, in the Renee C. Henderson Auditorium at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Bowe Meyers, as Horton, and the cast of Triumvirate Theatre’s production of “Seussical” rehearse on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023, in the Renee C. Henderson Auditorium at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Morgan Hooper and the cast of Triumvirate Theatre’s production of “Seussical” rehearse on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023, in the Renee C. Henderson Auditorium at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Morgan Hooper and the cast of Triumvirate Theatre’s production of “Seussical” rehearse on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023, in the Renee C. Henderson Auditorium at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

The cast of Triumvirate Theatre’s production of “Seussical,” portraying Thing 1 and The Cat in the Hat rehearse on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023, in the Renee C. Henderson Auditorium at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

The cast of Triumvirate Theatre’s production of “Seussical,” portraying Thing 1 and The Cat in the Hat rehearse on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023, in the Renee C. Henderson Auditorium at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Morgan Hooper (right) and another member of Triumvirate Theatre’s production of “Seussical” rehearse on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023, in the Renee C. Henderson Auditorium at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Morgan Hooper (right) and another member of Triumvirate Theatre’s production of “Seussical” rehearse on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023, in the Renee C. Henderson Auditorium at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Morgan Hooper, as Jojo, and the cast of Triumvirate Theatre’s production of “Seussical” rehearse on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023, in the Renee C. Henderson Auditorium at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Morgan Hooper, as Jojo, and the cast of Triumvirate Theatre’s production of “Seussical” rehearse on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023, in the Renee C. Henderson Auditorium at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Morgan Hooper, as Jojo, and the cast of Triumvirate Theatre’s production of “Seussical” rehearse on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023, in the Renee C. Henderson Auditorium at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Morgan Hooper, as Jojo, and the cast of Triumvirate Theatre’s production of “Seussical” rehearse on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023, in the Renee C. Henderson Auditorium at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

More in Life

Promotional image via the Performing Arts Society
Saturday concert puts jazz, attitude on stage

Lohmeyer is a former local music teacher

The author holds a copy of Greta Thunberg’s, “No One Is Too Small to Make a Difference,” inside the Peninsula Clarion building on Wednesday, March 22, 2023, in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Off the Shelf: Thunberg speeches pack a punch

“No One Is Too Small to Make A Difference” is a compilation of 16 essays given by the climate activist

White chocolate cranberry cake is served with fresh cranberries. (Photo by Tressa Dale/Peninsula Clarion)
Hard-to-ruin cranberry cake

This white chocolate cranberry cake is easy to make and hard to ruin — perfect for my students aged 3, 6, 7 and 7.

Virginia Walters (Courtesy photo)
Life in the Pedestrian Lane: It’s March

March is the trickster month, probably why we see so much raven activity these days

After Pres. Woodrow Wilson commuted his death sentence to life in prison, William Dempsey (inmate #3572) was delivered from Alaska to the federal penitentiary on McNeil Island, Wash. These were his intake photos. (Photo courtesy of the University of Alaska Fairbanks archives)
A Nexus of Lives and Lies: The William Dempsey story — Part 7

The opening line of Dempsey’s first letter to Bunnell — dated March 19, 1926 — got right to the point

Bella Ramsey as Ellie and Pedro Pascal as Joel in “The Last of Us.” (Photo courtesy HBO)
On the Screen: ‘The Last of Us’ perfectly adapts a masterpiece

HBO unquestionably knew they had a hit on their hands

Chocolate cake is topped with white chocolate cream cheese frosting. (Photo by Tressa Dale/Peninsula Clarion)
A cake topped with love (and white chocolate cream cheese)

He loved the frosting so much he said he never wants anything else on his cake

In 1914, Pres. Woodrow Wilson appointed Charles Bunnell to be the judge of the Federal District Court for the Third and Fourth divisions of the Alaska Territory. (Photo courtesy of the University of Alaska Fairbanks archives)
A Nexus of Lives and Lies: The William Dempsey story — Part 6

Prosecution lawyers were fortunate to have a fallback plan: witnesses to the crime.

The author displays her daily vitamin, three yellowish clear bubbles of Vitamin D, and 20 mg of Paxil. (Photo by Meredith Harber/Minister’s Message)
Minister’s Message: Accepting all parts of your story of growth

I started taking Paxil almost six years ago, after a lifelong struggle with anxiety and depression

Most Read