NY Post Article on initial "Seussical" Workshop

by Michael Riedel

BROADWAY heard - and saw - a Who last week in Toronto.The industry's top producers and theater owners traveled north to check out a workshop of "The Seussical," a new musical based on the Dr. Seuss books.

The buzz coming back is good, with the usual reservations about second-act problems and the need for a stronger book.

But everyone seems to think the score - by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty ("Ragtime," "Once on This Island") - is first-rate.One top producer called the songs "lovely and whimsical," adding: "It's their best score since 'Once on This Island.'"

Also earning raves is Andrea Martin, who played the Cat in the Hat.

The original producer of "The Seussical" was Livent, the bankrupt theater company that was recently acquired by another corporate giant, SFX, the producer of last season's ill-fated "The Civil War."

In their contract, Ahrens and Flaherty have the right to approve a new producer. Yesterday, Ahrens said they'd decided to go with SFX. The company is looking to team up with other producers to bring the show to Broadway in the fall of 2000.

Conceived by Ahrens, Flaherty and Monty Pythoner Eric Idle, the musical is being directed by Frank Galati, who staged "Ragtime," and choreographed by Kathleen Marshall.

"We've taken characters from 14 of the Seuss books and rolled them into one gigantic new musical," said Ahrens.

"Andrea is like the Emcee in 'Cabaret.' She pops up in lots of different incarnations."

One producer likened the show to "Cats."

"There isn't a lot of plot. It's vignettes with a few central characters to tie things together."

A few producers said Ahrens and Flaherty should bring in a book writer, but Ahrens said that's not going to happen.

"Stephen and I are writing the book ourselves," she said. "I do think we're in very good shape."