“A person’s a person no matter how small,” said Horton as he spoke to a speck of dust containing Whos in “Seussical the Musical” being performed at Bishop Noll High School. This spring musical by the Bishop Noll Drama Department will be performed in the evening of Saturday, March 21st, at 7:00 PM and again in the afternoon on Sunday, March 22nd, at 2:00 PM. The school’s 512 seat theater is located at 1519 Hoffman Street in Hammond, IN. Admission is $8 for adults and $5 for seniors and children.
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Kevin Burgun is the Drama Director for the musical.
“We chose to do this musical because it is about imagination,” Burgun explained. “For some reason, I don’t’ feel we have the imagination we should nowadays. There used to be a time when kids would take a colander from the kitchen, put it on their head and pretend to be a knight. Kids don’t do that anymore. My hope is that our musical will help kids and audiences find rediscover their own imaginations.”
“Seussical the Musical” is a combination of many Dr. Seuss stories. Your guide through this world is the Cat in the Hat. The audience is introduced to many characters along the way. Jojo is a Who who gets in trouble at school for thinking. Horton is an elephant who discovers a small world on a speck of dust. Gertrude McFuzz is a single-feathered bird who wishes she had more feathers so Horton would notice her. Mayzie La Bird is a bird that leaves Horton sitting on an egg in her nest while she goes on vacation. The storyline for the musical borrows from many Dr. Seuss books.
Amanda Biro is a junior and works as the stage director. Her many tasks include making sure the lights and sound are correct, the actors are in their correct positions, and that the production stays on time.
“I can’t choose just one part that I enjoy,” said Biro. “I think what I enjoy most is how the cast and crew have worked together to make it such a wonderful production.”
Adding a high amount of energy and fun to the role of the Cat in the Hat is Hailey DeWolf.
“My favorite thing about doing this show is inspiring kids through the stories of Dr. Seuss,” said DeWolf, a junior.
Julia Fugger, a freshman who plays Jojo agreed and said, “I also like that, playing the part of the little boy, I am the character that the kids can relate to. I have four younger brothers and sisters so I know how they think.”
“This musical is awesome,” said Terri Emsing, the mother of one of the Whos. “The songs are great, the acting is wonderful. The kids perform beautifully and the story keeps your interest.”
Besides the quality of the production, what Director Kevin Burgun is most proud of is that almost everything about the musical is done by the students themselves. Hannah Pleasant, a member of Bishop Noll’s dance team, created all the choreography. The sets and costumes are all made by the students.
“This is educational theater,” Burgun explained. “This is about the kids learning. It may not be perfect, but that’s okay because it is theirs.”