Niles Talent Shines in 'Seussical the Musical'

Think of a day that is rainy and gray

And as dull as they come

And there is nobody there

And you’re kickin’ a chair and it’s, oh so hum

Nothin’ to do and nobody but you

On a day that is flatter than flat

Well, that is a day for the cat in the hat.

So says recent Notre Dame graduate, Peter Sisto, as the Cat in the Hat in Footlighters Theatre Company’s production of Seussical the Musical. The romping show, based on the fantastical children’s books by Dr. Seuss, continues this weekend and the next at the Des Plaines Prairie Lakes Theater.

“This is my first community theater production,” said Sisto, “So it is my first time working with adults and they’ve been very helpful and supportive. They’ve given me ideas and sometimes I’ve given them ideas. It’s been great.”

Seussical is the 11th Footlighters production for Nancy Suwalski, who is both the cultural arts supervisor for the Des Plaines Park District and the play’s executive producer. In her dual role, she focuses on creating vehicles that include adults and children.

"Our first adult and children’s production was Oliver,” said Suwalski, “and our intent with that was to have families [involved].

"We wanted to have children and their parents spend the summer doing something they both love, spending time together doing the acting thing," she added. "We have a lot of families who are still with us.”

Father and Son Team Up

Niles residents Michael Lane and his son, Nathan, are both in the musical. Michael plays the Grinch and Nathan, who originally auditioned for a part, opted to support the orchestra as its bass player.

“It’s been fun to share the experience with Nathan,” said the elder Lane. “He’s been very involved in Notre Dame’s theater department and I’ve been the one sitting in the audience watching him. Now the roles are reversed and it’s a different perspective.”

Nathan echoes his father’s thoughts on a combined family theatrical effort.

“It’s kind of interesting working with my father,” said Nathan. “It’s also cool to just watch him on stage. He hasn’t done stage or theater in like 30 years or so and I think, because his role is so energetic, it’s been a really great way for him to get back into it.”

Along with the Cat in the Hat, the play also features Mayor Who and all the Whos from Whoville, Horton the Elephant, Thing 1 and Thing 2, Yertle the Turtle, and a stage full of fishes.

“I am a shark on a unicycle,” said Michael Lane. “During the first rehearsal, the choreographer asked if anyone could roller blade, ride a scooter or do gymnastics. I happened to mention that I could ride a unicycle and they put it in the show.”

The large cast of adults and children includes a number of other Niles residents: Anamarie Abbate as one of Mayzie’s Bird Girls and a Mermaid, and Adrian Delgado as a Wickersham Brother and a Surfer Dude.

Also of note is Lauren Hagan who has a major role as Gertrude McFuzz, the effervescent, love-struck soul who grows extra-large tail feathers in hopes of impressing the object of her affections, Horton the Elephant.

Lack of Opportunities in Niles

Michael Lane spoke of the lack of these kinds of opportunities in Niles.

“It would be wonderful to do something like this in Niles," he explained. "The large group of people I’ve been working with range in age from 10 years old to late 60s. So there is a huge amount of experience from the cast where even the young ones say, ‘This is my fifth play.’

"I hear about all the communities around here that are doing a lot of theater and frankly, I’ve been surprised; I wasn’t aware that that much goes on," Lane added. "I don’t know if Niles has the space for it, but it would be wonderful to bring something like this into Niles and see the community reaction that we’d get.”

“Our plan is to do The King and I next summer,” Suwalski said of coming attractions. “We will make sure there are enough parts for children and enough parts for adults.”

“I think we are both going to sign up for Footlighters Theatre next year,” said Nathan Lane. “I love it. It’s great and I look forward to each and every show.”

Production Particulars

Footlighters Theatre Company Presents: Seussical The Musical

Book by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty

Music by Stephen Flaherty

Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens
Co-Conceived by Eric Idle
Based on the works of Dr. Seuss

Performances July 22-Aug. 7:
Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m.
Sundays at 2 p.m.
Prairie Lakes Theater
515 E. Thacker St.
847-391-5711

Ticket Information:
Tickets are available at Prairie Lakes Community Center: 847-391-5711

Tickets in advance:
$12 for adults
$9 for children, students, senior citizens and groups of 12 or more

Tickets at the door:
$14 for adults
$11 for all others