SEUSSICAL
CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS
All
performers will need to demonstrate basic competent
movement ability. The most skilled dancer/movers are The
Cat, Mayzie, The Bird Girls, The Wickershams, Vlad, and
the Jungle Animals.
A number of performers play several characters (circus
performers or creatures etc.) The descriptions do not
address the multiple roles. Please remember to list all
of your gymnastic and circus-type talents on your
audition form!
All character ages are “stage ages”- the age that the
actor appears when onstage.
These character descriptions reflect initial thoughts and
are not set in stone. When the show is cast, further
character work will be developed with the actor’s input.
THE
CAT IN THE HAT (Male of
Female, age 15-??)
The
Cat playfully
provokes change in the lives of those around him by
creating obstacles and rites of passage. As in Dr Seuss’s
books, the Cat’s intentions, although mischievous, are
benevolent. The Cat’s main objective is to have fun
stirring things up, using some risky tactics, but always
to a good end.
Vocal
range:
soprano/alto/tenor/baritone
Physical
attributes and movement abilities:
Loose-limbed, fluid mover with some vaudeville skills,
and comedic and athletic propensities. Must be able to do
several impersonation and be very comfortable with
audience improvisation. (Ability to balance on a ball
while juggling two books, a cake, and a rake, while
holding a fan in his tail is not necessary, but certainly
a plus.)
Special
note for those auditioning for the role of the Cat:
Seussical
begins and ends with the Cat. As the host and emcee, s/he
is the conduit between performers and audience and
continually pops up here and there with many exits and
entrances and numerous props to manage. The person
playing the Cat must be extremely responsible and able to
piece together his/her own
uniquely complicated show map.
HORTON
THE ELEPHANT (Male, age
14-??)
Horton’s
main
objective throughout the show is to protect the
defenseless charges in his care. Horton, as an elephant
gentle giant — a contemplative thinker, physically and
socially different than the other animals, Horton is an
easy scapegoat. But Horton’s bulk is matched by his
solid, steadfast integrity and deeply-grounded beliefs.
Horton is never sure if he is up to the tasks that have
fallen to him, but he would rather die than let down
someone he has vowed to help. He is honest and faithful
and kind.
Vocal
range: tenor/baritone
GERTRUDE
McFuzz (Female, age
14-??)
Gertrude’s
main
objective is to win Horton’s attention and affection and
she is determined to do whatever it takes to make that
happen. She is a nervous, neurotic wallflower who matures
into a powerfully protective and caring ingenue. She is
ferociously diligent, endures many perils and sacrifices,
but is ultimately triumphant.
Vocal range: soprano
MAYZIE
LaBird (Female, age
15-??)
Mayzie’s
objective is
to have a good time while leading life to the fullest.
She finds great pleasure in being admired, adored, sought
after and serviced, whether by her Bird Girls, groupies,
or by those she meets on her adventures. She is a real
powerhouse, with great intelligence, beauty, and style.
She has real star power and enjoys nothing
more than being in the spotlight.
Vocal range: soprano/alto
THE
SOUR KANGAROO (Female, age
15-??)
The
Sour Kangaroo is the diva
queen of the jungle. She is a tyrannical marsupial with
attitude! She has style and flair and commands power and
respect, but her rise to power did not come easily and
she knows how hard life can be. She is a mother who does
not
tolerate silliness. Roo is raised to be tough and fierce,
not a dreamer. Sour Kangaroo does have a change of heart.
When she realizes she is wrong, she is quick to
acknowledge it
and correct her mistakes.
Vocal range: soprano/alto
MINI-ROO
(Female, age
5-9)
Roo
is a baby
Sour Kangaroo. Determinedly imitating her mother, Roo has
guts and gumption and a similar hip attitude. Roo is a
hopper with a smooth bounce.
Vocal
Range: soprano/alto
BIRD
GIRLS (Females,
ages 8-??)
The
Bird Girls are a
flamboyant “girl group.” Individually, each is a
gorgeous, tropically decked-out, hot jungle bird. They
live to sing, dance and perform. They love to tell
stories, embellished by their melodious voices and
expressive physiques.
Vocal
range: mixed ranges
WICKERSHAMS
(Males, ages
8-??)
The
Wickersham Brothers live to
impress the world with their strength and prowess. They
want to be seen as dominant, alpha males. They are
impulsive bad boys who like to monkey around, creating
havoc for fun. They pride themselves on their agility,
speed, and cunning, and feed off of each other, seeking
out vulnerable prey to subordinate.
Vocal range: mixed ranges
YERTLE,
THE TURTLE (Male or
Female, age 15-??)
Yertle believes he
has been endowed with some superior gifts not shared by
the other animals and deserves a higher stature. He has a
sense of entitlement and has a need for order. He likes
to be the one who is looked to for decision-making and
setting things right.
Vocal
range:
baritone/base
VLAD
VLADIKOFF (Male, age
13-??)
Vlad
Vladikoff does the
Wickershams’ dirty work. In his full glory, with his
large imposing wing spread, he is scary and formidable.
Vocal
range: any range
Physical
attributes and movement abilities: His movement
is powerful and precise and needs to be executed
carefully. The actor playing Vlad Vladikoff cannot be
afraid of heights.
JUNGLE ANIMALS (Male and
Female, all ages)
The
Jungle animals are
“street-smart” creatures who live by the laws of the
jungle. They are motivated by base survival urges and
live to be a part of the herd. They follow the pack,
needing to fit in, conform to group dynamics and not be
ostracized. They know their place in the jungle kingdom
hierarchy; they follow the powerful Kangaroo without
question and do not cross the Wickershams. All the
animals have individual movement and character traits
that distinguish them from one another.
Vocal ranges: mixed ranges.
Examples
:
The
Eagle is a precise
and fierce mover with a piercing gaze and powerful upper
torso.
The
Eaglet is a
hatchling who is a flapper and leaper.
The
Zebra is a proud
equine with a lifted carriage and precise footing.
The
Gazelle is a graceful
balletic mover who is fleet of foot and who uses leaps
and turns to travel.
The
Lizard is a languid,
sensual mover who sometimes slithers on the floor.
The
Leopard is a lithe,
supple mover who travels with a watchful deliberateness.
The
Tamarin monkey is a
young, frisky, leaper who lopes and scampers across the
ground.
The
Poison Dart Frog is a small
aquatic animal who hops and squats and jumps.
JOJO
(Male or
Female, age 8-14)
JoJo
lives in a
society that doesn’t seem to notice or care about any of
the things he holds dear to his heart. He longs for a
friend with whom to share his thoughts. JoJo stands out
in the world. He can express the wondrous thoughts in his
head easily, and his marvelous fantasies can not be
contained nor can he stop thinking or questioning. His
courage to speak his own mind, in the face of oppression,
and to follow his intuition, in the midst of danger,
finally leads to a triumphant recognition of his heroic
visionary strengths. Should be a responsible young
actor/ress who can carry the show.
Vocal
range:
soprano/alto/tenor
MR.
MAYOR (Male, age
12-??)
Mr.
Mayor wants to be a
good leader and father. He is a recently-elected official
who is proud of his new role and eager to prove his
abilities. He feels he must embody the high standards he
hopes his citizens will live up to.
Vocal
range:
tenor/baritone.
MRS.
MAYOR (Female, age
12-??)
Mrs.
Mayor wants, above
all else, to be a good wife and mother. She is proud to
uphold her values they share strives to present their
family as exemplary and well-put-together.
Vocal
range: soprano
GENERAL
GENGHIS KHAN SCHMITZ (Male, age
15-??)
General
Genghis Khan Schmitz sees the
world in simple contrasts: good and evil, weak and
strong, boy and man. He is bursting with military pride
and not mean but proud. He always strives to do what is
right for his troops.
Vocal
Range: baritone
THE
GENERAL’S TROOPS (Male or
Female, ages 8-??)
Loyal to their General to the end. Very disciplined but a
very different kind of soldiers.
Vocal
Range: soprano/alto/tenor/bass
THE
GRINCH (Male or
Female, age 15-??)
The
Grinch is a green
beastie who lives in Whoville. He is a happy member of
the Who community, but this wasn’t always the case.
Vocal range: baritone/bass
WHOS
CITIZENS (Male and
Female, all ages)
The
Citizens of Who are innocent,
slightly quirky people who value conformity and clean
living. For the most part, they are happy, hard-working,
earnest citizens who enjoy their lives and one another.
They live simply from day to day and depend on those in
charge to lead them
Vocal
range: mixed
ranges