CPTC News:

Cardboard Playhouse Theatre Company (CPTC) will unlock the imaginations of citizens when they bring the Cat in the Hat, Horton the Elephant, Gertrude McFuzz, Mayzie La Bird, the Whos in Whoville and other Seuss favorites to life with their production of Seussical JR. at 2415 Princeton Dr. NE G10 in Albuquerque.

Co-conceived by Lynn Ahrens (Anastasia, Once on this Island), Stephen Flaherty (Ragtime, Once on this Island) and Eric Idle (Monty Python).

Seussical JR. combines Dr. Seuss tales (…and tails!) using the plinker-plunker of many musical styles – ranging from Latin to pop, swing to gospel, and R&B to funk – as colorful as the classic books.

Directed by Kristin K. Berg and Doug Montoya, the production promises to be unlike anything the Albuquerque theatre community has seen.

“We are so excited to be partnering with Electric Playhouse to bring audiences even deeper into the world of Seussical,” says Montoya. He continues, “The set projections will make you feel like you are in Whoville with the Grinch. It will be very immersive.”

“This production is very different from others we’ve done because it will be presented in thrust with the audience on three sides of the stage. It’s been great working with our young actors to think about their acting and dancing differently with this production,” Berg adds.

“Our team is excited to bring Seussical Jr to Electric Playhouse,” Electric Playhouse CEO Brandon Garrett said, “This performance is a family-friendly event, and the ticket price will allow audiences to explore Electric Playhouse before or after the show.”

“Now, I’m here, there is no telling what may ensue with a Cat such as me, and a Thinker like you!,” the Cat in the Hat said.

MTI, through its MTI’s Broadway Junior™ division, works with the authors of classic musicals to create special editions suitable for youth to perform.

About Cardboard Playhouse:

Cardboard Playhouse Theatre Company, created by Doug Montoya and Kristin Berg in December 2004, prides itself on being one of the only children’s theatre companies in Albuquerque that casts children on their ability to perform, not on their ability to pay. CPTC was formed by a love of both improv and children and fosters self-expression, self-confidence, and creativity through the use of an improv-based theatrical program. CPTC asks children to think for themselves and to take a sense of ownership in the show. Cardboard Playhouse has produced almost 100 productions casting over a thousand local adult and child actors.

About Electric Playhouse:

Electric Playhouse is an immersive and interactive family entertainment destination for all ages. Play, Eat, and Explore in Its 24,000 SF state-of-the-art facility that features an ever-changing rotation of game and art experiences that respond to your movement. Electric Playhouse also offers a wide variety of unique programming including concerts, immersive art shows, theatrical productions, and its unique immersive café and immersive dining experiences featuring seasonal chef-driven menus. There is always something new happening at Electric Playhouse.

Horton will hear a Who and cheerful chaos will ensue when Cardboard Playhouse presents Seussical JR. on various dates and times (see below) at Electric Playhouse, 5201 Ouray Rd NW, Albuquerque, NM 87120. For ticket prices, showtimes, and more information please visit electricplayhouse.org, cardboardplayhouse.org or call 505.832.7562.

Seussical Dates and Times

Time listed is when doors open. The show will start 30 minutes after the doors open.

• 6:30 p.m., Saturday, 9/3/22
• 2:30 p.m., Sunday, 9/4/22
• 6:30 p.m., Thursday, 9/8/22
• 2:30 p.m., Sunday, 9/11/22
• 6:30 p.m., Saturday, 9/17/22
• 2:30 p.m., Sunday, 9/18/22
• 6:30 p.m., Thursday, 9/22/22
• 6:30 p.m., Friday, 9/23/22

Seussical JR. begins with a young boy named JoJo who conjures up the Cat in the Hat with his powerful imagination and is whisked to the Jungle of Nool for a fantastical adventure. There JoJo learns of the plight of the tiny citizens of Whoville, who live on a planet the size of a speck of dust. Their sole protector is Horton the Elephant, who is the only one with large and sensitive enough ears to hear them bipping and beeping and playing their oompahs.

The small world is threatened by Sour Kangaroo and the Wickersham Brothers, who in disbelief that a world could be so small, try to steal the dust-speck so they can cast it into a vat of Beezle-Nut oil. During all of this drama, Horton has not noticed that he has an admirer, Gertrude McFuzz. She blames his indifference on her one-feather short tail and endeavors to find a way to change her looks.

Meanwhile, Horton’s friend, Mayzie La Bird, is bored of perching on her nest, and convinces the watchful elephant to sit on her egg so she can take a vacation. The Cat follows all of these storylines and finally casts the boy into his own as the irresponsible son of Mr. and Mrs. Mayor of Whoville, JoJo, who ultimately saves his whole tiny world with one big, imaginative “think.”

Seussical JR. is presented through special arrangement with and all authorized materials are supplied by Music Theatre International 423 West 55th Street, New York, NY 10019 212.541.4684, mtishows.com.

Music Theatre International (MTI) is one of the world’s leading theatrical licensing agencies, granting theatres from around the world the rights to perform the greatest selection of musicals from Broadway and beyond. Founded in 1952 by composer Frank Loesser, and orchestrator Don Walker, MTI is a driving force in advancing musical theatre as a vibrant and engaging art form.

MTI works directly with the composers, lyricists and book writers of these musicals to provide official scripts, musical materials and dynamic theatrical resources to over 70,000 professional, community and school theatres in the US and in over 60 countries worldwide.

MTI is particularly dedicated to educational theatre and has created special collections to meet the needs of various types of performers and audiences. MTI’s Broadway Junior™ shows are 30- and 60-minute musicals for performance by elementary and middle school-aged performers, while MTI’s School Editions are musicals annotated for performance by high school students.