For the first time in recent history, the Pullman Civic Theatre’s children’s summer show will be a musical.
“Seussical the Musical” opens Friday. Previous theater productions have been limited by their stage, said director Penny Gonzales. A different stage venue -- the new Pullman High School auditorium -- has opened up opportunities for the group and the theater is presenting its first musical in years.
The musical gets nearly 40 kids and adults on the stage, a number that would’ve overwhelmed the Nye Street stage, Gonzales said. Besides a larger stage and more and improved audience seating, the new auditorium has the best and latest in sound and lighting technology, Gonzales said.
The show itself is “a mash-up of Seuss’ work,” set to a storyline similar to “Horton Hears a Who,” which involves such characters as Horton the Elephant (Hunter Gould), Gertrude McFuzz (Amber Sage), Mayzie La Bird (Chloe Haagen) and the Cat in the Hat (Jessica Cross).
Though the children’s summer show has always been “by kids and for kids,” this year’s production pulls in a number of adult leads who carry the song-based show. Gonzales described it as an operetta, with most of the lines being sung.
By putting a larger-size musical on a larger-size stage, Gonzales hopes to draw more people from the area into the experience, something that is not always possible with smaller productions. In addition, the children’s summer production gives kids an opportunity to be in a show.
“We get those kids a whiff of the greasepaint in hopes that they come back,” Gonzales said.
IF YOU GO:
WHAT: “Seussical the Musical”
WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday, 7:30 p.m. July 21-23, 2 p.m. July 24
WHERE: Pullman High School auditorium, 510 N.W. Greyhound Way in Pullman
COST: $12/person or $10/person for matinees; tickets can be purchased online at www.pullmancivictheatre.org, Dissmore’s, Neill’s Flowers and Gifts and at the door.
