I believe that the 1st National Tour was quite better than the Broadway production. They cut unneseccary musical numbers, added more audience participation (which was quite funny!), extended the cell phone bit, had better backdrops, modifed some scenes by adding flying (It's Possible!!), and changed many other things.
The most appreciated change was the backdrop for the "pile of clovers." Instead of having pink lights, it was a backdrop with thousands of clovers painted on, and the stage was COVERED with them as well, instead of just a few piles. It added not only to the humor, but to the admiration for Horton as well.
Drake English was the best Jojo I have seen. Quite a remarkable kid.
I prefer the Broadway Gertrude McFuzz, but the Tour actress was not bad at all.
The tour improved dramatically. I wish they would have had THAT production on Broadway - it would have had a longer run then.
"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle