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