Eric Idle was the original Cat in the Hat in Seussical?- Page 2

[adamgreer]

Posted: 10/21/06 at 5:19pm

I thought David Shiner was horrendous- he couldn't sing, and wasn't the least bit entertaining or funny. He didn't connect with the audience at all. Rosie was ok, but she wasn't playing the Cat. It was Rosie O'Donnell doing her schtick wearing a striped hat. Cathy Rigby and Bryan Batt were the two who "got it."

A bit more about The Lorax song...

It was sung by a character called the Unceleer (I probably spelled that wrong) and was cut in Boston. Eddie Korbich was the Unceleer, and once that was cut, he left the cast, because he had nothing left to do. Alice Payten, who played Mrs. Who, was the Lorax. It was cut because its heavy tone was not in line with the way the show was evolving to that point. It also stopped the action in Act 2 cold. The truffula tree backstory was mentioned in Here on Who, then ignored until The Lorax in Act 2. It was another example of the creators trying to throw every Seuss character ever into the show. In my opinion, it had to go. Even without it, the show, for all its merits, still lacked a central focus.

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 10/21/06 at 5:25pm

What was the character of the Unceleer? How is that pronounced. Was Alice Payten both Mrs. Who and the Lorax?

Did you see the show out of town?

[NathanLaneStalker]

Posted: 10/21/06 at 5:25pm

Thanks for the info!

I never heard of Bryan Batt. Who's he?

[NathanLaneStalker]

Posted: 10/21/06 at 5:27pm

It's pronounced Onceler. I grew up watching and reading Fr. Seuss stories.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 10/21/06 at 5:37pm

The Onceler (thanks, NLS for the spelling!) was a "greedy industrialist" who wanted to chop down all the truffula trees. Alice Payten played both Mrs. Mayor and the Lorax.

The Boston show was very strange...and very different from Broadway. The opening number, for example, was this biazarre thing where everyone wore black and danced in a square.

Bryan Batt has been in Seussical, Beauty and the Beast, Sunset Blvd., Saturday Night Fever, the La Cage revival (where he stood by for, and frequently went on for Gary Beach), Scarlet Pimpernel, and Cats. in Seussical, he was the standby for the Cat, and did matinees when Rosie was in the show. Here is his official website:

http://www.bryanbatt.com/

[WickedGeek28]

Posted: 10/21/06 at 5:49pm

I hadn't noticed Seuss was ordained.

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 10/21/06 at 5:58pm

The Boston show was very strange...and very different from Broadway. The opening number, for example, was this biazarre thing where everyone wore black and danced in a square.

Huh?

[NathanLaneStalker]

Posted: 10/21/06 at 6:40pm

oh! He was in Jeffery! I know who he is. I'd love to see him as The Cat.

[LI Larry]

Posted: 10/22/06 at 12:05am

I heard the song, "The Lorax" at the workshop they did for the kids when they had a student audience. Three singers did it and personally it was boring and a downer. I can see why it was cut. Eddie Korbich was in the opening cast of the Broadway production but left quickly. (by December). I didn't think David Shiner was bad in the physical part of the role but he couldn't sing or act. That makes it hard and he was obviously not enjoying the role. I know that the cast was taken by surprise when it closed. Even though the box office had dropped drastically when Aaron Carter left (like $200,000). They came in on Tuesday and said it was closing Sunday. Not too nice for people who had stuck with it for 2 years (from the first reading to the closing).

[NathanLaneStalker]

Posted: 10/22/06 at 3:12am

Very sad.

Did Rosie do any of the physical stuff?

[adamgreer]

Posted: 10/22/06 at 9:45am

No, Rosie did what Rosie could do. The Cat's antics were always changed when a new Cat came in. When Rigby was in, for instance, they added a lot of gymnastics and somersaults to the part. Rosie slam-dunked a basketball and played the drums.

[CapnHook]

Posted: 10/22/06 at 12:44pm

Rosie also balanced a chair on her chin. She was most proud of that. ::rolls eyes:: (But I still love ya, Ro!)

SEUSSICAL is one of my all time favorite shows. I have seen some of its development (but was never involved with it), the pre-Broadway tryout in Boston, Broadway with Shiner, Rosie, Carter, and Rigby, the first national tour with Rigby, and the non-Equity tour with Peter Roman.

SEUSSICAL can be staged many different ways. I think the first national tour got it best - it was darker and spookier. The Cat (Cathy Rigby) evolved into more of a darker michevious Cat, but only slightly.

SEUSSICAL was always in development, from creaation to Broadway and after. I think it should have done three pre-Broadway tryouts to REALLY fix up the show before Broadway. It could have been much more well received and possibly have had a longer run.

If developed further - I think the show would have been just PERFECT. They were JUST starting to go with the pitch of having the Cat take Jojo out of the human world and throw him into the world of Seuss. Therefore - Jojo had a goal. To get home. And the Cat had a goal: to get Jojo to learn that thinking is OK, then send him home.

So that is one half of the plot. In Seuss world, the main plot is Horton. He is the only one who knows of the Whos and can save them, but then he is tricked to sit on an Egg. I wouldn't change any of his story.

"The Lorax" was recorded from its workshop and DOES exist on audio - but was not professionally released. I *think* if you visit the Ahrens & Flaherty website, they offer the song for listening.

"A Day For The Cat In The Hat" was also cut from Broadway before going on tour. I think this was a wise choice, even though it was Cathy Rigby's favorite number (it was she number to show off gymnastics). It allowed for the Cat to be less 'fun' and more 'dark & mischevious.'

A&E was supposed to record the 1st Nat'l Tour for broadcast and a DVD release, however that fell through.

[NathanLaneStalker]

Posted: 10/22/06 at 2:22pm

Awww. To bad they didn't record the tour ( I've never seen the tour just the broadway version (which I LOVE and think there was nothing wrong with it but that's just me. )

[CapnHook]

Posted: 10/22/06 at 2:30pm

The tour was *SO* much better than the Broadway version. I just wish Kevin Chamberlain, Sharon Wilkins, and Janine LaManna stayed with it.

[tourboi]

Posted: 10/22/06 at 4:42pm

Part of what Eric invisioned for the show (including long green hands reaching out for Jojo at one point, if I'm even vaguely remembering things right!) was kinda...dark...a bit too dark for the kiddies attending SEUSSICAL.

That said, I would love to see him play the Cat as written now. Can you IMAGINE his "Seussabies"? It would be hysterical.

[tourboi]

Posted: 10/22/06 at 4:47pm

The Lorax number was cut in Boston, but not for being too dark...it just introduced more important characters too late in the show (half way through Act Two!). It was a great number though...very fun. And the set piece that was flown in was great!

There was a recording made of THE LORAX, and I believe that the song (originally a ten minute number!) is being released soon (if not already) as a stand alone performance piece.

[tourboi]

Posted: 10/22/06 at 4:50pm

In the Boston opening they all wore black, yes, but most of the choreography was essentially the same as the Broadway opening with a few exceptions...Jojo made his entrance in a tub, there was a bit of extra music I was sad they cut ("if you're thinks are all sweet, cute, and tidy and neat, here's a word of advice...there are thinks in the room full of danger and doom, so you'd better think twice!"), and that was put back into the tour with slightly different lyrics I think...although I could be wrong in my remembering.

-TourBoi, who loved Seussical and saw every incarnation except the 2nd Tour, which makes him very sad indeed.

[tourboi]

Posted: 10/22/06 at 4:53pm

Oh lord! I didnt love the first national tour....

I thought the Broadway staging was far superior. The sets on the first national looked cheap, IMHO...and Christopher Ashleys staging was too out there...the opening number, which was fun and filled the stage on Broadway (with great choreo by Kathleen Marshall) was performed in a tiny white box with little movement. Not very exciting to watch.

The shining thing in the tour? Cathy Rigby. A joy as the Cat.

[CapnHook]

Posted: 10/22/06 at 5:16pm

The only thing I have NEVER liked in any production of the show I have seen is the opening number. I agree, the opening on the Tour was horrible, although I appreciated the new concept.

On Broadway, it was fun, but didn't setup the story well enough. I like the musical changes made to the opening in the Tour, such as the "ooh ooh, ooh aah" spooky moment.

In the non-Equity tour, I REALLY liked the staging concept of the opening, however the execution was poor. It consisted of Jojo sitting in bed in the REAL WORLD reading a Seuss book when all of a sudden the Cat throws the covers off him and sits up. He magically appears in bed with Jojo (don't read that as a sexual thing!). He then goes to a book shelf and takes out the rest of the Seuss books, and Seuss characters come out and join him in the bedroom. They each hold grab the Seuss book that corresponds to their character's story.

The non-Eq tour was low budget, obviously, so the execution of a lot of things was poor.

Things I LOVED in the 1st Tour was blacklight flying during "It's Possible", the blacklight effects during "Havin' a Hunch," and the lighting in "Alone in the Universe." I *HATE* the Cirkus McGerkus number in all versions of the show I've seen and wish they would cut it.

[tourboi]

Posted: 10/22/06 at 6:42pm

I like Circus McGurkis...its fun. :)

As for the opening song, I like it when STAGED RIGHT.

The ENTIRE concept of the show is that less is more...give an indication and let the imagination of the audience take it full circle. Oh The Thinks You Can Thnk! is exactly saying that...use your mind. This is also why I take issues with productions that feel the need to give Horton a trunk or big ears! OY!

[NathanLaneStalker]

Posted: 10/22/06 at 9:08pm

The Circus McGurkis number wasn't needed. It was fun and good but it wasn't needed.

The non-equity opening sounds interesting!

[tourboi]

Posted: 10/22/06 at 9:23pm

Sure it was. You need the Circus bit to get Horton taken away. Much of the second act is centered around Horton being taken off....

[NathanLaneStalker]

Posted: 10/22/06 at 9:26pm

Well, they could've cut it down. I mean u know, we get it! He was taken to the circus!

[CapnHook]

Posted: 10/22/06 at 10:12pm

The Cirkus McGerkus song is not needed, but the circus scene is. It's a number that doesn't advance the plot and in my opinion slows Act II down.

[LI Larry]

Posted: 10/22/06 at 10:22pm

I totally agree with the above seen. The circus scene is necessary. The song is terrible. It's nothing but a roll call and seems to exist just to show off costumes. And you're right it does slow the show down. But I loved the song Solla Sollew. Too bad they didn't change the song so the actors did something besides walk on stage.