Seussical!

The Seussical is one of the most performed musicals in America. From elementary school performances to Broadway, everyone loves the kind and down-to-earth elephant, Horton, the lazy, dramatic bird, Mayzie, and of course the little boy with a soaring imagination, Jojo. Each character in this well-known musical motivates and teaches the viewers a lesson. As the Cat and the Hat narrates, the viewers mentally teleport from the Circus McGurkus to the unknown and mystical world of the Who’s. The musical tells the story of a Horton, who hears a living speck of dust with JoJo on it. JoJo is a very imaginative boy, who will soon be sent off to military school because of his wild imagination that often goes too far. Horton is the only creature who believes that the speck of dust has life on it, and though everyone wants to destroy the speck of dust, Horton stays true and protects it with the help of his loyal friend, Gertrude, who never loses hope in him. The Seussical often is portrayed as a silly musical for kids, but each scene has hidden deep messages that many people miss.

Throughout the musical Horton faces constant trial. No one else believes that the speck of dust has life on it. Everyone wants to demolish the speck of dust, but Horton stays strong and protects the speck of life from harm. Horton also has to look after his friends’ egg, and though he is continually mocked, he refuses to let the egg die. He soon is faced by the choice of losing his life or protecting the egg and saving the speck of dust. The musical often shows how important loyalty is and keeping one’s promise: Horton not only never breaks his promises, but wisely states, “a person’s a person not matter how small.” Horton’s message should teach everyone that no matter how a person looks or their color, they are still a person and deserve to be treated as one. If everyone followed Horton’s word, the world would be a better place. 

In the magical, tiny place, Whoville, lives a little boy named, Jojo, with a wild imagination, which makes his parents super unhappy. They introduce Jojo to a strict General Genghis Kahn Schmitz, who plans on taking away Jojo’s imagination. Jojo hears Horton and due to both of their imaginations, they become good friends. But Jojo isn’t the only loyal friend that Horton has. Later in the musical, a bunch of mischievous monkeys steals the clover that the speck of dust is on and mercilessly threw the speck of dust into a huge patch of clovers. Gertrude, who had just finished writing her four hundred and thirty seventh love letter, laboriously goes through each of the million clovers and finds the speck of dust because she knows how much it truly means to Horton. A more loyal friend couldn’t exist! The musical teaches its viewers a great valuable lesson of treating everyone equally and with respect. No matter how tall or small everyone is, they are still equal and Horton teaches us that. 

Work Cited:

“Seussical.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 19 Nov. 2021, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seussical.