A Texas Theatre Company supports literacy and celebrate Dr. Seuss!!!
Houston Family Arts Center (HFAC) announces its production of SEUSSICAL, the zany and heartfelt journey into the stories of Dr. Seuss, directed by Joshua Clark with musical direction by Debbie Wylie and choreography by David Porras. This fantastical, magical, musical extravaganza opens on Friday, Feb. 24, at The Berry Center 8877 Barker Cypress Rd, Cypress, TX 77433, and runs weekends through Sunday, Mar. 11. Tickets are now on sale at www.houstonfac.com.
With an entire production based on the creative works of one of the most beloved children’s authors of all time, it is only natural that all those involved in the performances are book lovers and avid readers. Each year HFAC chooses a show that supports another community organization so it shouldn’t be a surprise that this year the company has chosen a perfect pairing of R.E.A.D for Houston & Seussical! They are asking patrons to bring books to any of the ten SEUSSICAL performances to donate to lower income schools in Houston and other organizations where students and children will be able to take home new adventures in the form of a book. Many students do not have the benefit of having books in their homes, and this will encourage reading for those kids.
Facts:
- Access to printed materials has an important impact on a child’s literary development.
- Children in lower income areas have substantially lower access to written material for many reasons including smaller book collections in libraries, limited material in day cares, and limited appropriate materials in stores and their environment.
- In Houston, 31% of the population is not literate. In terms of the literacy rate Houston ranks 54, out of 72 cities. (2006 Urban Environment Report)
You can participate too, of course! If you are not in the area, you can donate HERE or we encourage you to donate to your local libraries or other organizations that promote literacy. If you are in the Houston area, bring your donations of new or gently used books to one of the shows. An even better idea, bring a group of kids to see the show and encourage the kids to bring used book donations!
Filled with toe-tapping tunes, SEUSSICAL borrows its plot directly from the characters and occurrences in various Dr. Seuss children’s books. In fact, SEUSSICAL integrates the storylines from more than 20 of Seuss’ works, using each tiny town and bizarre species of creature as inspiration. The result is a production that takes the audience on an unpredictable ride through the depths of fantasy, from the miniature houses of Whoville to the wild greenery of the Jungle of Nool.
A talented ensemble of 43 children, teens, and adults completes the cast and play jungle creatures, circus performers, cadets, fish, hunches, and Whos.
As each story unfolds you will marvel at how relevant and profound Seuss’s subtle themes are; making this a family musical that appeals to all ages. The score emerges as a Seussian gumbo of musical styles ranging from Latin to pop, swing to gospel, and R&B to funk! So let your toes tap, your fingers snap, and your imagination run wild, for…..“If you open your mind, oh, the Thinks you will find lining up to get loose! Oh, the Thinks you can think! Oh, the Thinks you can think when you think about Seuss!!”
PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
Performance Location: The Berry Center- 8877 Barker Cypress Rd, Cypress, TX 77433 (easily accessible from 290 and I-10).
Opening: FRIDAY, Feb. 24 at 8 PM
Performances:
Friday, Feb. 24 at 8 PM
Saturday, Feb. 25 at 8 PM
Friday, Mar. 2 at 8 PM
Saturday, Mar. 3 at 8 PM
Sunday, Mar. 4 at 3 PM
Sunday, Mar. 4 at 7 PM
Friday, Mar. 9 at 8 PM
Saturday, Mar. 10 at 3 PM
Saturday, Mar. 10 at 8 PM
Sunday, Mar. 11 at 3 PM
TICKET PRICES: $18/adults, $16/seniors (65+), $14/students, reserved seating. Select your seats online at www.houstonfac.com or call the HFAC Box Office at 281-685-6374.
This sounds awesome.
It really is a great match up!