Stained Glass Theatre to present 'Seussical Jr.'

Apr. 14—Stained Glass Theatre's new production showcases Dr. Seuss' classic message of valuing everyone, no matter how small, from the trunk of a brave and determined elephant.

The Joplin theater will perform "Seussical Jr." by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens, based on the works of Dr. Seuss. The musical is a kids' version adapted from the popular show "Seussical."

"It's all the Dr. Seuss characters that people are familiar with: Cat in the Hat, Horton, the Grinch, all the characters people will know from Dr. Seuss stories," said Kelly Weaver, co-director with Jill Spencer.

In the show, the ornery Cat in the Hat takes a little boy named Jojo on a musical journey of imagination through the books and characters of Dr. Seuss.

All the cast was familiar with the beloved Seuss characters, Weaver said, and it's been fun for them to participate in the stories they've grown up with and treasured.

The show is basically all music, Weaver said. Its runtime of an hour and 15 minutes is packed with 32 songs to tell the story. There's a wide range of songs, from heartfelt anthems to jazzy dance numbers.

"The kids have done a fantastic job with it. It's really cute," Weaver said.

Swirls of color and overgrown plants fill the stage with the distinctive designs of Dr. Seuss at Stained Glass Theatre. Weaver said her set designers have done an amazing job recreating Seuss' illustrations, from Who Village to the Jungle of Nool. A theater in St. Louis lent Stained Glass several fun set pieces from a previous production of "Seussical."

"Dr. Seuss has that fun 'everything's lopsided' look," Weaver said. "It's made for a really cute set."

Kids' musicals are often a highlight of the Stained Glass Theatre season, Weaver said. Directors look for adult musicals that are adapted for kids because these adapted shows have simpler staging and dialogue.

"We like to do a kids' musical because they're so popular, and we have so many kids we try to get involved," Weaver said. "The kids seem to enjoy them."

In addition to involving all ages, the kids' musical teaches the cast about all aspects of theater, from auditioning to stage direction. Weaver said it's an educational and fun way to give them an opportunity to do something in a safe, Christ-centered environment.

"We like to do it because we have so many families involved with the theater," Weaver said. "We try to strive to be a place where you can bring your kids and know that they're going to be safe, they're going to have a good time and they're going to learn something."

Working with a younger cast like this brings a lot of joys to the theater experience, Weaver said. She noted her cast is enthusiastic and well prepared, and the kids are great with memorization — sometimes better than adults. Weaver believes a big part of this is the kids being in school and already in the mode of learning.

"I've been really impressed with their preparation," Weaver said. "They also bring a lot of energy; we have a lot of fun."

The show is a fun, relaxing time for all ages, Weaver said.

"A message woven through the whole show is 'a person is a person, no matter how small,'" Weaver said. "I was thinking about this the other night, that it's apropos for a kids' show. These are small, little people, but they are doing a really big thing. Even the little ones get up there and do a great job."

Want to go? "Seussical Jr." will take place at 7 p.m. nightly through Saturday, April 15, and from Thursday, April 20, through Saturday, April 22. There will also be 2:30 p.m. shows on Sunday, April 16 and April 23.