7 ways "Seussical" has bettered humankind

Shawnee Mission East

• Kaeli Heffner

Here’s a riddle: what is brightly colored, occasionally glows in the dark, and is covered in multicolored feathers? Some of you might be thinking: but of course-this year’s Met Gala! Alas, no dear readers, that’s not what I’m talking about. 

I’m talking about ​Seussical the Musical​. 

If you haven’t been in, or been involved with​ Seussical​ at least three times, then I’m sorry to inform you that you’re probably not the most fulfilled theatre person you could be, and your childhood probably greatly suffered. 

Here’s a comprehensive list of the ways ​Seussical​ has single-handedly bettered humankind. 

1.     The music is ridiculously catchy. 

If you’ve never treated yourself to a full listen-through of the ​Seussical ​Original Cast Album, you’re depriving yourself of months of singing “Oh, the Thinks You Can Think” over and over and over again in your mind. The score is, frankly, genreless, crossing over into all sorts of different styles of music to create a diverse and exciting musical journey. Sneaky bops like “Havin’ a Hunch” arrive just in time at eleven o’clock to give a nice little nod at the piece’s musical theatre roots. 

2.     The characters are relatable as heck. 

I don’t know about you, but I don’t even KNOW how many times I’ve taken drugs to make my tail extra long so my crush would notice me, only to have him ignore me and father another bird’s egg. Rude. 

3.     It’s educational!

Dr. Seuss. Need I say more? What better way is there to take your mind off of the impending heat death of the universe than with some sick rhymes and a return to the blissful ignorance of childhood bedtime stories?

4.     It follows ALL your favorite musical theatre conventions. 

At least three numbers at the beginning of the show that exist only as expository devices? Check. C5 money note for the supporting character? Check. Not one, but several “I want” songs for the lead female? Check. Several reprises of almost every other song? CHECK. Random characters such as the Grinch that exist only to say a few lines to act as vertical structure between the world of the play and the outside world? Oh, CHECK! I mean, need I say more? 

5.     Those COSTUMES, though. 

You will find feathers all over your home for months after a ​Seussical​ visit, and you will like it. You will. 

6.     It actually alludes to some really serious topics. 

Mayzie’s decision to give her egg up after an unwanted pregnancy, as well as the stigma she faces for her lifestyle, are totally real conversation topics right now. The Sour Kangaroo, along with the entire Jungle of Nool, fully gaslights Horton for hearing the Whos and nearly puts him in jail for literally no reason. Jojo is sent to boarding school for being high spirited and told that fighting and masculinity are what “[make] a boy a man.” Plus, Gertrude 100% abuses drugs to impress a guy. There is so much to unpack here, and what better way to do it than with the aforementioned sick rhymes and feathers? 

7.     Its messages are universal. 

All kidding aside, ​Seussical​’s main message of “a person’s a person, no matter how small” is one that we all could use a reminder of. Horton’s kindness and loyalty to both his tiny friends and his own intuition are kind of goals, and I think we should all take a page from his book. 

If you haven’t at least seen a production of ​Seussical​, you should probably get on that. Your life will be changed for the better.