Last weekend, May 29 and 30, the Stamford High Strawberry Hill Players presented an incredible performance of Seussical the Musical. This fun, upbeat musical filled with songs you’ll be singing the whole way home, is perfect for an audience of all ages and should not be missed.

The show brought many great works of beloved author Dr. Seuss to life, all narrated by the Cat in the Hat, played by senior Shaina Lubliner. Seussical is the story of Horton, the elephant, portrayed by junior Bryce Drynan, who discovers the planet Whoville on a tiny speck of dust. Horton works to protect the speck despite the judgment he receives from the other animals in the jungle, including the Sour Kangaroo, played by AITE senior Lauryn Schiller. Gertrude McFuzz, the one feathered bird and quiet next door neighbor of Horton, rendered by AITE sophomore Sophie Jacobson, is the only one to believe him.

Meanwhile in Whoville, JoJo, the imaginative son of the mayor, played by freshman Cara Grasso, repeatedly gets into trouble for his “thinks.” He imagines the Cat in the Hat, who accompanies him throughout the show, encouraging his imagination and getting him into all sorts of adventures and trouble, including being sent to war.

To top things off, the town of Whoville is in a state of panic as they cannot control where their tiny speck of dust goes. It is therefore up to Horton to protect their speck and prove to the Jungle of Nool that “a person is a person, no matter how small.”

The musical featured one great song after another, and had the singers to match. The show kicked off with “Oh the Thinks You Can Think,” which was then reprised throughout the show. This upbeat and uplifting song brings to life the works of Seuss, exemplifies all the things we love about his books, and is sure to be stuck in your head for days (not that I minded). One song that stood out in particular to me was “All For You,” Gertrude’s song to Horton, which was simultaneously humorous and heart-warming. It was a hit with the audience as well, as we all rooted for the two to end up together.

The spectacular songs and equally impressive dancing was made even better by the use of the fly system, which had characters including JoJo and the Cat flying and flipping through the air. This was the Strawberry Hill Players first year using the system and I think it was a great success.

If you did not get to see a performance yet, don’t worry! There are still three shows left: Friday, May 6 and Saturday, May 7 at 7:30 pm and a matinee on Saturday at 2 pm. Don’t miss your chance to see the Strawberry Hill Players in this incredible show!

A sneak peak of the show can also be viewed at https://vimeo.com/164451638