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Image features Audrey Dwyer from a photo by Avital Zemer. 1 A Message from the Artistic and Executive Directors Welcome to Seussical – one of our favourite musicals at YPT. Apart from being great fun and featuring terrific performances, this is a profound story. At its centre is Horton the Elephant’s assertion that "a person’s a person no matter how small". Obviously, these are words to live by. They are also a call to action for young people – to think and care about those who are sometimes forgotten or unseen. We hope Seussical inspires all audience members, young and not so young, to be conscious of the impact of their actions. Think how much better the world would be. To quote another song from the show "Oh the thinks you can think – if you’re willing to try..." Our show runs through the Holidays with public performances every day between December 27th and 31st. Perhaps you know someone for whom Seussical tickets would make a great gift! We wish you the very best for the Holidays and the New Year to come. ALLEN MACINNIS NANCY J. WEBSTER Artistic Director Executive Director Young People’s Theatre is a member of the Professional Association of Canadian Theatres (PACT) and engages, under the terms of the Canadian Theatre Agreement, professional Artists who are members of Canadian Actors’ Equity Association. This facility is supported through Toronto Arts Council Strategic Funding. Young People’s Theatre is situated on the territories of the Mississaugas of New Credit and other Indigenous peoples, whom we acknowledge and respect. 2 YOUNG PEOPLE’S THEATRE PRESENTS Music by Stephen Flaherty Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens Book by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty Co-Conceived by Lynn Ahrens, Stephen Flaherty, and Eric Idle Based on the Works of Dr. Seuss Directed by Thom Allison CAST Wickersham 1 Jahlen Barnes Mayzie Erin Breen Gertrude McFuzz Arinea Hermans Wickersham 3 Mike Jackson Horton Jacob MacInnis Jojo Jeigh Madjus Wickersham 2/Mr. Mayor Robert Markus Sour Kangaroo Grace McRae Birdgirl 1/Mrs. Mayor Erica Peck Birdgirl 2 Claire Rouleau Cat in the Hat Jonathan Tan CREATIVE TEAM Musical Director/Keyboard/ Jeannie Wyse Score Arrangements/ Orchestration Choreographer Kimberley Rampersad Set Designer Judith Bowden Costume Designer Charlotte Dean Lighting Designer Jason Hand Sound Designer Michael Laird Musician - Keyboard Diane Leah Musician - Percussion Jamie Drake Stage Manager Kristin McCollum Assistant Stage Manager Emilie Aubin SeussicalTM for Young Audiences premiered at The Coterie Theatre, Kansas City, MO; Jeff Church, artistic director. Seussical™ is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.MTIShows.com Photography, videotaping or other video or audio recording of this production is strictly prohibited. The performance will run approximately 80 minutes with no intermission. 3 Director's Note Let's face it, Theodor Geisel (Dr. Seuss) was an oddball. He saw the world in a kooky way . and thank goodness he did. He made the extraordinary seem natural. That's why he captured the imaginations of adults and children alike for over six decades and his work continues to inspire and delight. New words, new creatures, new ways to express ideas. And always with an invaluable life lesson. Some of them simple, some of them complicated, but every one unique. "A person's a person, no matter how small", Horton the Elephant's innocent words, are at the heart of Seussical. No matter how small, big, black, white, rich, poor, gay, straight ... no matter how different than you, everyone has the right and need to be seen and heard. Too often, people’s patience with difference is dangerously low and we all could use a laugh with a lesson. Ted Geisel knew it, and he wanted his readers to know that sometimes doing the right thing isn't easy, but it's always worth it. I agree. THOM ALLISON Director 4 Cast JAHLEN BARNES Chess as Florence. Arinea is a recipient of the WICKERSHAM 1 2016/2017 Syd & Shirley Banks Prize awarded through Acting Up Stage. She most recently Born and raised in appeared in UnCovered: Queen & Bowie Toronto, Jahlen started (Acting Up Stage). Thank you to the amazing his training at the people at Talent House, the Seussical team, age of 8 at the Annex and to her family for seeing her through. Children’s Theatre in the Education program. He also trained with MIKE JACKSON the Canadian Children’s WICKERSHAM 3 Opera Company. Jahlen just completed his first year at the Shaw Festival Mike is thrilled to be appearing in Alice in Wonderland and Sweeney joining the amazing cast Todd. Previous credits include: Melchior in Spring and creative team at Awakening, Captain Watkin Tench/ Black Caesar YPT! He has appeared in Our Country’s Good and as a featured singer in Chicago (Broadway in '80s Solid Gold for Stage West Calgary. Jahlen and US Tour), Susan is a recipient of the 2016/17 Syd & Shirley Banks Stroman’s Contact (US Prize awarded through Acting Up Stage. He is a Tour). He was the Tin proud graduate of the Randolph Academy for the Man in The Wizard of Performing Arts in Toronto, and can next be seen Oz (Mirvish and US Tour) Seussical, Oklahoma, as Youth in Acting Up Stage/Obsidian Theatre’s Joseph and Bert in Mary Poppins, (Theatre production of Passing Strange. Aquarius), Cats, Starlight Express (Stella, Germany), White Christmas, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Cats, Robin ERIN BREEN Hood (Drayton Entertainment), Evita and Bill MAYZIE Calhoun in Kiss Me Kate (Stratford Festival). Chicago, Erin is overjoyed to He directed and choreographed Little Shop of Horrors and Smokey Joe’s Café be joining the cast of Anne of Seussical at YPT! Born (Drayton). He also choreographed Green Gables 2011-2014 (Charlottetown and raised in Edmonton, La Cage aux Folles Erin went to university at Festival), (Neptune Theatre), All Shook Up, The Producers, Joseph (Stage the Royal Conservatoire Poodle Skirts to Platform Shoes, Full of Scotland for a Masters West), Monty (Theatre Aquarius). He has appeared on Degree in Musical Man Seeking Woman, Rogue, Suits, Theatre Performance, TV/Film in and now calls Toronto her home. Erin has worked Missing, The Producers, Once Upon a Mattress, professionally all over North America and the UK Glitter, Me and My Shadows, Queer as Folkand for the past 10 years. Credits include: A Christmas Fifth Estate. Carol, Enron (Theatre Calgary), [title of show] (Forte Musical Theatre Guild), City of Angels (Theatre By the Bay), Broadway: Andrew Lloyd JACOB MACINNIS Webber (Capitol Theatre) and Seussical (ATP). HORTON Thanks and love go to Mom, Jess and little baby Luna - @littlelunafloof on Instagram. Jacob is thrilled to be returning to YPT in Seussical! After attending Sheridan ARINEA HERMANS College's Music GERTRUDE MCFUZZ Theatre Performance program, he has gone Arinea is excited on to perform in to be making her countless concerts, YPT debut and so musicals and fundraisers! Favourite credits proud to be a part include Artie Octopus in Jacob Two-Two Meets of Seussical. She is a the Hooded Fang and The Earthworm in James recent graduate of and the Giant Peach (YPT), Uncle Fester in The Sheridan College’s Addams Family and Shrek in Shrek: The Musical Bachelor of Music (Neptune Theatre). Love and thanks to Talent Theatre Program. Sunday in the House, his family and friends and to Tucker At Sheridan, she appeared in #braverthanbrave. Park with George as Dot, The Enlightenment of Percival von Schmootz as Hildegard, and 5 JEIGH MADJUS ERICA PECK JOJO BIRDGIRL 1 / MRS. MAYOR Jeigh was previously This is Erica's YPT debut. seen at YPT in Jacob Erica is best known Two-Two Meets the for her Dora Award- Hooded Fang. Other nominated performance credits include: Shrek: as Scaramouche in The Musical (Rainbow the original Canadian Stage/Neptune company of We Will Theatre), Here Lies Rock You. She also Love (The Public starred as Mary Maguire Theater), Jacob in La Cage aux Folles (1st Nat'l), in the world premiere of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Lola in Prison Dancer: The Musical (NYMF- The Boys in the Photograph in Winnipeg and Outstanding Individual Performance Award), Toronto. Other credits: Kinky Boots, Cabaret, Spelling Bee (STC), Mark in Altar Boyz (Dora- The Wedding Singer, Songs for a New World, and nominated) and Myths and Hymns (TIFT). Film/ Penny Pingleton in Hairspray. Stratford Festival TV: Servitude (Alliance), Prison Dancer: The credits include: Lucy in You’re A Good Man, Web Series. Etobicoke School of the Arts and Charlie Brown and Swing in Wanderlust. She has Sheridan College graduate. Thank you Thom, performed with The Killers, Burton Cummings Jeannie, Kim, Allen and everyone at YPT - I'm and Queen. Upcoming: Bittergirlat Manitoba so happy to be home in Toronto with my family Theatre Centre. and friends! #YLSBF. <3 jeighmadjus.com CLAIRE ROULEAU ROBERT MARKUS BIRDGIRL 2 WICKERSHAM 2 / MR. MAYOR Claire is delighted to Robert could not be be making her debut at happier to be back at YPT. She is a graduate YPT! Selected theatre of both the Music credits include: Jacob Theatre Performance Two-Two Meets the program at Sheridan Hooded Fang (YPT), College and the Child UnCovered: Queen and and Youth Studies Bowie, UnCovered: Simon program at Brock & Garfunkel (Acting Up University. Claire spent the past two years based Stage), Tommy, Fiddler on the Roof (Stratford in St. John’s, Newfoundland where outside of Festival), Our Town, Sweeney Todd (Shaw performing she created and facilitated arts-based Festival), Dream a Little Dream, Shrek (Grand programming for St. John’s littlest people. Credits Theatre), Chicago, Twist and Shout (Drayton include; No Man’s Land (Rising Tide Theatre), Entertainment), Next to Normal (Theatre Darling of the Day (Talk Is Free Theatre), The Calgary/Citadel Theatre), The Rocky Horror Show, Ogre’s Purse (RCA Theatre) and Mary Poppins A Christmas Carol (Citadel Theatre), Hunchback (Theatre St.

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