was the original "Seussical" really 'overproduced'?

[Auggie27]

Posted: 7/20/07 at 10:17am

Whatever the flaws of the original Broadway SEUSSICAL, I must respectfully disagree that the central issue was its being "too big" or "overproduced." I saw it twice, with Shiner and O'Donnell, and though long and lacking in focus, it looked and behaved like what it was: a Broadway musical that fit perfectly into the 46th street -- er, Rogers -- theater. The candland designs were clever, but hardly LION KING-ish, and many of the costumes were quite witty. None of the scene changes or effects produced audible gasps or even applause. In many ways, it was quite modest. It was colorful and eye-catching, but again, folks, this was on Broadway, and I think the top ticket was 85 bucks. We wanted it to look like what it was: a show.

It's swell that the authors have found the source's soul in a production geared toward young kids. But the original staging had its merits and pleasures, starting with Kevin Chamberlin, whose adoption moment with the egg in the eleven o'clock spot wrung tears from many. The score was especially well-sung (Michelle Pawk and Ms. LaManna were both delightufl). Listen again to the album.

I think making the case that something between Story Theater and OUR TOWN would've turned the show into a hit is off point. The material was unwieldly in places, but the production did much to hold it together. Would we really have been happier without props and sets? Would 46th street then have been a more welcoming home for it? I don't know. LION KING trades on spectacle as much as its sometimes hard to find heart. People fork over the very big bucks knowing they'll get "their money's worth." Perhaps SEUSSICAL's underlying shape -- the simple, anecdote-laden structure, a staple of children's theater -- simply made its presentation in a big house, past bedtimes of its target audiece, inappropriate. But was size the issue? I still don't think so.

[SeanMartin]

Posted: 7/20/07 at 10:29am

My issue with the original production was that it simply wasnt very Dr.-Seuss-ish. It took a few of the more general visual elements and then turned around and ignored the rest of the mad little intricacy that is the Seuss universe. Instead we were given a poorly executed (and yes, overdone) riff on the Seuss style.

The show simply wanted to be too much, and as a result it wasnt much of anything at all.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 7/20/07 at 10:33am

soo true. that odd streamer/tree.. thing.. was the most un Seuss thing you could have had...