MFL MarMac students share popular children’s stories in ‘Seussical’
MFL MarMac’s high school theatre department will present the musical comedy “Seussical” on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 12 and 13. The production is based around popular Dr. Seuss stories and characters, including The Cat in the Hat, portrayed by Jaxton Schroeder. Here, the Cat fans a relaxing Mayzie La Bird, played by Kaylee Nuehring. (Photos by Audrey Posten)
“There are a lot of different outtakes with other characters, but mainly it’s progressing through the story of Horton,” explained Jonah Wille, who plays Horton the elephant in “Seussical.”
Mindy Keehner fills the role of JoJo, the main character who imagines all the Dr. Seuss stories coming together.
"Seussical" features an ensemble of younger kids. They are pictured here with Dusty Berns, who plays the Grinch.
By Audrey Posten, Times-Register
MFL MarMac’s high school theatre department will present the musical comedy “Seussical” on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 12 and 13.
Created by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, the production is based around popular Dr. Seuss stories.
“The main idea is that it’s a lot of different Dr. Seuss stories all put together under the main character JoJo, who is the one imagining all these things coming together. It’s the story of her path through it and some other characters’ paths through their own troubles,” explained senior Jaxton Schroeder, who portrays the iconic Cat in the Hat.
“The main one is Horton Hears a Who!” added junior Jonah Wille, who plays the elephant Horton. “There are a lot of different outtakes with other characters, but mainly it’s progressing through the story of Horton,” who’s also become popularized through Horton Hatches an Egg!”
Schroeder and Wille, both theatre department veterans, are excited to share the Dr. Seuss stories they grew up enjoying.
“I remember a lot of them from reading the books, watching the movies. But re-imagining them, re-remembering them, has been fun,” said Wille.
“It’s fun to see not exactly the same story that we found as kids, but a re-imagining of those characters and scenes,” Schroeder quipped.
As The Cat in the Hat, Schroeder described himself as one of JoJo’s “thinks,” or something she has created. He’s often the musical’s plot advancer—as well as an antagonist.
“I progress JoJo through many different troubles and throw a lot of different situations her way, where she has to think her way out of it, which sometimes doesn’t always come to her favor,” he said.
Schroeder likened his version of The Cat in the Hat to Mike Myers’ character in the live action film.
“He’s very sarcastic and a little narcissistic even. I interact with the audience quite a bit as well, so it’s been very fun,” he shared. “A lot of it is scripted, but then I go and do my own thing on top of it. I’m free to do what feels right. Especially those fifth wall breaks—it’s up to me and getting out there and seeing what the audience is like and ad libbing those sections.”
“I feel the adults will really engage when the Cat breaks the fifth wall a lot and talks to the audience,” Wille commented.
In addition to Schroeder as The Cat in the Hat and Wille as Horton the Elephant, “Seussical” will feature Mindy Keehner as JoJo, Ruby Koeller as Gertrude McFuzz, Will Koether and Abby Schellhorn as Mayor and Mrs. Mayor, Kaylee Nuehring as Mayzie La Bird, Karlie Hagensick as Sour Kangaroo, Amara Buchheit as General Gengus Khan Schmitz, Emme Schroeder as Yertle the Turtle, Dusty Berns as Grinch and Aedan Whitney as Vlad Vladikoff.
Isabella Torkelson, Maria Stavroplus and Addison Buchheit will play Bird Girls and Clare Grau, Riley Feuerhelm and Eva Budde will entertain as the Wickersham Siblings.
Other contributors include Savannah Schaller, Hailee Corlett, Franci Mezera, Sydney Moser, Mariah Moser, Jerica Wille and Julia Grau. An ensemble of younger kids—Taryn, Trace and Gretel Moser and Veda, Wyatt, Oliver and Vincent Torkelson—will fill roles as Whos, fish and circus members.
Schroeder said it’s been fun working with the younger cast members.
“You can kind of see where the theatre program is going to be in five years or so,” he stated.
Kids will also relate well to “Seussical.”
“It’s a very kid-oriented show,” Schroeder said. “The adult audiences will enjoy seeing those characters again and kind of what we’ve done with them, but a lot of the humor really is geared toward children.”
“There are a few times when I call out to the audience, so don’t be afraid to get involved,” he added. “I’ll be all the better for it. I’m excited to see as many people as we can.”
“Seussical” performances will be at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, in the high school auditorium in Monona. Tickets are on sale now at https://www.showtix4u.com/event-details/57999.
