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Kelli Northrup, right, as the Cat in the Hat, sings away as Luay Eljamal — Horton the Elephant — intently watches his speck of dust in the Keyano Theatre production of Seussical. The show will run from Feb.[15] to Feb.[21].

Photo by BENJAMIN RICETTO. Today staff

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The latest production at the Keyano Theatre was Seussical and for the evening out we decided to take the kids, since we knew it would appeal to them. They were better critics than I will ever be, and I was surprised at their reactions and how much they took in during the show.

The first thing that struck me was that Luay Eljamal, who played Horton the Elephant, is an unbelievably talented young man. He is still in high school, but he brought such a depth to the character that you know he had been doing this for years, and that he enjoys being on stage. I interviewed Eljamal last year when he wrote and published a book, so I can’t wait to see what this young man will do next in the community. What a wonderful example for the younger people here.

And I would say the same thing for all the young actors that appeared in the production, I just could not get over the talent.

Now, everyone comes away from a play with something different, and since this was the first Keyano production that we took our nine and eleven year olds to, I was interested to hear what they thought.

The nine year old thought that Adam Morgan, in the role of Jojo, the Mayor of Whoville’s son, was the best actor of the night. Morgan, also very young, really became the character of Jojo, who becomes friends with Horton, has big ideas about life and what is possible. My son also made several comments about the music, which of course in a musical is as part of the whole experience as the acting. Michael Eddy was the brilliant music director that made the audience feel as though the music was a natural part of the production, which I am sure can be a difficult task.

The eleven year old had some very astute observations. His favorite of the play was Sour Kangaroo, player by the talented Jessika Botelho. He made the comment several times on the way home about how, “That girl could really sing”. Her powerful voice was the perfect fit for the character who had so much to say about Horton and his actions. Hopefully her talent will be center stage in upcoming productions at Keyano.

Of course, when I am having this conversation with the kids, the hubby jumped in with his opinion. He loved the Cat in the Hat, played by elementary teacher, Kelli Northrup. You could really tell that she was having fun and was totally in character as the quirky cat every time she came on stage. My boys wondered in she sang some of the songs to her class for practice. She did a fantastic job and is a perfect example of the hidden talent here in McMurray.

And my favorite? Oh definitely Victoria Green, who played Gertrude McFuzz, she absolutely owned the stage when she was on, about brought her own quirky traits to the character that made her so funny and adorable. At one point she goes to the doctor to get something to make her tail grow and he refuses, her tantrum that followed in still making me giggle.

So congratulations to the actors, musicians and everyone who made Seussical a delightful production that the whole family enjoyed. Next month it will be The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde, and you can pick your tickets up at the Keyano Theatre box office, or by calling (780) 791-4990.

Actors rehearse a scene from Seussical, a musical being performed at Keyano Theatre this weekend. Tickets are available through the Keyano Theatre box office.

Photo by BENJAMIN RICETTO. Today staff