Ojai Valley News
The whimsical world of Dr. Seuss is brought to life later this month with the Ojai Art Center Theater’s production of the musical “Seussical.” Part of the magic of bringing Seuss’s stories to the stage is the colorful set handcrafted by Michael McCarthy. Spending over two months designing and building, along with hand cutting each ingenious piece, McCarthy has created a vibrant set filled with color.
“I wanted the set to stay true to the look of the Dr. Seuss books,” said McCarthy. “I grew up with Dr. Seuss, and the thing I loved most about his work is the fanciful drawings and characters. So, each piece I designed was hand-drawn, printed, mounted on foam core, and cut out by hand.
“With such a large cast and having two different worlds, the Whos and the jungle, it was nice to keep them separated, and having multiple levels really help set the tone for Whoville.”
A large cast of thirty-plus people, lovingly brings to life all of our favorite Dr. Seuss characters, including Horton the Elephant, The Cat in the Hat, Gertrude McFuzz, lazy Mayzie and a little boy with a big imagination – Jojo. The lively characters transport us from the Jungle of Nool to the Circus McGurkus to the invisible world of the Whos.
“Staging is always a problem, and the set design seems to change daily because we had to deal with the large cast on a small stage. Some of my plans I started to build only to scrap them because actors had to be staged differently. In the end, I think it really looks like a big pop-up book by Dr. Seuss,” said McCarthy.
McCarthy adds “Dr. Seuss always had a message and I liked that growing up. ‘A persons a person no matter how small.’ I think that holds up today. It’s something I never forgot.”
Each weekend, there will be two matinees at 2 pm, Saturday and Sunday, so that younger children can attend and enter this colorful, bright, and familiar world. Bring the whole family to join Horton, the Grinch, and the Cat in the Hat as they weave their way through a cast of musical characters. You can share in this moment of pure holiday magic for four weekends, starting November 22 through December 15.
The box office opens 45 minutes before each show. Ticket prices: $25 general admission, $20 seniors and AC members, and $10 for those under 25. You can purchase online at OjaiACT.org or call (805) 640-8797.