SEUSSICAL™ opens November 9th at Performance Riverside
The magical world of Dr. Seuss leaps off the page and onto the stage in Performance Riverside’s Seussical™ The Musical, opening November 9th at Landis Performing arts center. This fanciful extravaganza filled with toe-tapping tunes, wild characters, poignancy, and laughter is directed and choreographed by Roger Castellano, and musically directed by Scott T. Smith.
Based on the books of beloved children’s author Dr. Seuss, Seussical™ is a montage of Seuss' most whimsical and wonderful characters, brought to the stage by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, the award-winning creators of Broadway hits Ragtime, Once on this Island, and My Favorite Year. The Cat in the Hat, an outside observer, acts as the narrator who leaps into the action to create fun, as heroic Horton the Elephant endeavors to protect the people of Who-ville, who live on a tiny speck of dust. Characters and settings from Seuss masterpieces are woven into the action, including Green Eggs and Ham, Yertle the Turtle and Other Stories, Horton Hatches the Egg, and How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
Director Roger Castellano brings to Performance Riverside his vast experience in all entertainment media forms: from television and theme park, to industrials and special events throughout the U.S., Asia, and Central America. Director/Choreographer credits include Oliver!, La Cage Aux Folles, A Little Night Music (all receiving the L.A. Drama-Logue Award), Me and My Girl (L.A. Times Critic’s Pick), The Will Rogers Follies (Music Theatre of Wichita), A Chorus Line (Arizona’s AriZoni Theatre Award). Roger has also created original shows, parades, and industrials for companies like Sesame Street Live, Sanrio Inc., and the Walt Disney Company. Acting highlights include Beauty and the Beast (Lumiere), A Chorus Line (Zach), Once Upon a Mattress (Jester), My One and Only (Billy) opposite Susan Egan (Drama-Logue Award), Anything Goes (Billy), Into the Woods (the Baker), On the Town (Ozzy), and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (Bud Frump). Roger received a BA in Theatre from California State University, Fullerton.
Seussical™ features Bart McHenry as The Cat in the Hat, Quintan Craig as JoJo, and T.J. Dawson as Horton the Elephant. The cast also includes Colleen Ballinger, Danny Blaylock, Kyle DallaTorre, Allen Everman, Ashley Green, Adam Hunt, Jordan Lamoureux, Michaelia Leigh, Eli Menendez, Majd Murad, Cassandra Murphy, Kelsey Pentecost, Jeffrey Ricca, Shaun Samaro, Sage Thommen, Amber Thompson, Jennifer Webb and Luke Yellin.
In special partnership with Riverside Public Library, Performance Riverside is offering children the opportunity to earn free admission to select performances of Seussical™. “Dr. Seuss Reading Cards” are available at all Riverside Public Library branches. Children who check out and read any eight books by Dr. Seuss may validate these cards with the library staff. Children who bring the signed and stamped cards to the Landis Performing Arts Center Box Office on the Riverside City College Campus are eligible to receive one free child’s ticket for a 2 pm performance of Seussicaltm on either November 10th or 17th. Up to four qualifying children may attend per paid adult admission. “What could be more fun than Dr. Seuss characters coming to life?” says Sue Struthers, Youth Services Manager for Riverside Public Library. “RPL is thrilled to help families share the magic of Dr. Seuss on paper and on stage.”
Seussical™ The Musical is performed on November 9, 10, 16, and 17 at 8pm, and November 10, 11, 17, and 18 at 2pm, at Landis Performing Arts Center on the Riverside City College Campus. Tickets are $42, $36, $29, and $24. For more information, call the Landis Performing Arts Center Box Office at (951) 222-8100. For online ticketing, and more information about Performance Riverside’s 2007-2008 Broadway season, visit www.performanceriverside.org.
