Who doesn’t love the stories of Dr. Seuss?
Well, this Saturday, May 12, is your chance to see yet another one you’re probably unfamiliar with when the students of Raincoast Musical Theatre will take on the roles of some very familiar characters in Seussical the Musical at the Tidemark Theatre.
“It’s a whole bunch of the stories we all know and love all put together,” says director Heather Gordon Murphy.” It’s Horton Hears a Who, it’s Horton Hatches an Egg, and it’s got bits of other characters from all kinds of other stories.”
It’s even got a Grinch.
“We’ve got kids from five to 16, and there are 55 of them,” says director Heather Gordon Murphy. “It’s super fun, because it gives them the chance to not be people. Usually they’re having to play the roles of people – and they can get into those roles – but this is so fun because they’re playing these fantastical creatures and they can just become a Who or an animal or a bird.”
So who’s amazing idea was it to turn the stories of Dr. Seuss into a musical, anyway?
“I don’t know the whole story about how it came about,” Gordon Murphy admits, “but it’s been around for quite a while. It never did get to Broadway, but it did very well off-Broadway, partially because the music is very good, but mainly because it’s so accessible for people.”
The version of the show being put on Saturday is the “junior version,” Gordon Murphy says, “which means it’s been cut down to an hour, with no intermission, so it’s even more accessible, even to younger kids.”
Raincoast alternates years for their performances between the Rivercity Stage and the Tidemark Theatre, but just because there is far more seating at the Tidemark, doesn’t mean you should wait and try to get your tickets at the door, Gordon Murphy says.
“When we go to Rivercity, we can do, like, five shows, but the Tidemark is a bigger house, so we’re just doing two – a matinee and an evening show at 7 p.m. – and I think the matinee might already be almost sold out,” she says. “I think Campbell River might be learning that they shouldn’t wait until the last minute to try and get tickets for something, because they’re getting caught when they go to get tickets and finding out the show they wanted to see is sold out.”
Tickets are only $14 for adults and students over 13, $12 for seniors and children 12 and under. They are available online at tidemarktheatre.com or at the box office Tuesday through Friday, noon to 4 p.m.
That is, if there are any left.