Courtesy of STAGES St. Louis
Seussical
STAGES St. Louis is bringing beloved characters from the world of Dr. Seuss to life on stage in its latest Theatre for Young Audiences production. Seussical stars familiar friends, including Horton the Elephant and—of course—the Cat in the Hat. Below, Ryan Cooper, who plays the felicitous feline, discusses embodying the venerable character, his favorite song in the production, and why it's a show for all ages.
What are your thoughts on playing such an iconic character? I've always said that it's a big hat to fill. Everyone has grown up with the Cat in the Hat, and he has, at one time or another, been everyone's imaginary best friend. But I've found that Cat and I have a lot in common: a little mischievous, a little wacky, but always in a good-natured way. The great thing about Seussical is that Cat acts as the narrator, and literally wears many hats—pun very much intended—as he morphs into different characters to help move the story along, and that gives me a lot of freedom in how to portray him.
You, of course, wear a big top hat. But there isn't really a "cat" costume. How do you embody the Cat in the Hat in the production? Our director, Michael Hamilton, came up with an overall concept for the show in which the cast starts off the show—not as the Seussian animals they portray, but as storytellers who have gathered to share the world of Seuss with our main character, JoJo, and the audience.
During our first number, as we sing about the world of Seuss, the cast members slowly morph—thanks to great costumes by Garth Dunbar—into their respective characters: birds, elephants, kangaroos, monkeys, and so on. So while I don't have whiskers or cat ears, we have stylized costume pieces that help suggest those features. For example, I don't have a tail, but I wear a tuxedo tailcoat, with the tails whimsically curled up to give the same effect. The audience's imagination fills in the rest.
What is your favorite song in the production and why? The character of Horton the Elephant sings a song called "Alone in the Universe." Throughout the show, Horton is mocked and shunned by some of the characters for believing in things they can't see. He sings this beautiful song that celebrates believing in yourself despite what others may think, dreaming big, and embracing your imagination.
Courtesy of STAGES St. Louis
Seussical
What do you think kids and adults alike will enjoy most about the production, and what will they take away? The great thing about Dr. Seuss is that he is one of those rare creative geniuses who creates something that is loved as much by children as by adults. As a kid, you fall in love with the colorful characters and zany rhymes, but then as you grow older you start to appreciate the wonderful messages within the Seuss stories. Seussical does an amazing job at translating this to the stage. The music is catchy. The characters are big and lovable. Yet it is a very sophisticated show with a lot of heart and a strong message.
It sounds like there are a lot of really cool activities and opportunities before and after the shows. Why did STAGES decide to offer all those extras, which are included in the ticket price? STAGES is extremely unique when it comes to their Theatre for Young Audiences. They are aware of the fact that these young children, many of whom are experiencing live theatre for the first time ever, are future lovers and supporters and participants of the arts. So STAGES goes above and beyond to make them feel welcome.
A full hour before the show, our young guests can come and enjoy activities. For example, we have a coloring station, but it doesn’t just have generic coloring sheets. There are actually copies of the original costume renderings of the costumes young people will see on stage. After the show, following the final bows, the cast sticks around for a question-and-answer session. Kids are very curious. We have had questions from a wide range of topics, everything from wondering about the rehearsal process to curiosity about why our characters don't like green eggs and ham. It may seem like a little thing, but as we answer these questions, we see that little spark of wonder in these young people. It's a great feeling to see that love of live theatre starting to blossom.
Is there anything else you'd like to add about the show? Though this is billed as Theatre for Young Audiences, that doesn’t mean it's only enjoyable for kids. STAGES pours every bit as much attention into their TYA shows as they do their excellent mainstage productions. The caliber of sets, costumes, performers, choreography are all top-notch. I've started to notice that more and more adults without kids have been coming to see the show and enjoying the experience just as much. Theatre for Young Audiences is theatre for all audiences.
STAGES’ production of Seussical runs through Sunday, July 2 at The Playhouse @ Westport Plaza (635 W. Port Plaza). For show times and tickets, visit the STAGES website.
